Irregular Life
by TaiKaze
Summary: AU. Jack/Ianto Gwen/Rhys Tosh/Owen. "Welcome to Torchwood! Where we risk out lives saving people who'd rather have us dead!" "Then why do we do it?" Jack grinned. "Gotta die sometime right?"
1. Hush

[A:N/ I had this weird dream, and when I woke up I decided that the story was good enough to remember! This is the result! I love my brain sometimes! LiboChan did the beta!]

Jack woke up in a dark room that was to big and empty to be his own. The bed was huge and hard, the sheets stiff and cold. The only light came from the long window at the end of the room, and it fell over beds surrounded by white curtains.

The boy bit down a sob and whispered into the dark.

"Mammy?"

Something stirred beside him, making Jack wince in fear.

"Calm down boy, it's alright."

Suddenly a small light was turned on beside the bed and a man with brown suit and hair like he'd just gotten out of bed smiled at him. He sat up in the chair, leaning on to Jacks bed and took his hand.

"Now Jack, do you remember what happened?"

Jack bit his lip. He remembered running, his dad shoving him and Grey forward, telling them to run. He had been holding Grey's hand.

"Where is Grey?"

The man in the suit looked uncomfortable, like he wanted to look away, but then he seemed to steel himself and he rubbed Jacks hand with his own.

"I'm so, so sorry Jack. Grey, your mom and your dad... They are gone."

"Gone?"

Tears burned in his eyes. He didn't like this, he wanted to go home.

"I want my mammy!"

"I'm so sorry Jack. I was too late. I'm so sorry."

He cried. He didn't care that he was a whole six years old and that big boys don't cry.

The man in the brown suit got up from the chair and sat on the bed, hugging the little boy close.

"Don't worry. You'r not alone. I'll take care of you. You'r in Cardiff now, in Wales. It's not as bad as America. They don't mind so much here. There's even a school you can go too. Don't worry, even if it hurts now, it will be alright."

Jack nodded, even if he didn't really understand. The man let him cry, he didn't tell him to be strong and stop. He just sat there and held him tight and Jack had a feeling he was crying too.

After a while Jack calmed down and was leaned back against the pillow again. The bed was warmer and the room wasn't so scary anymore. The man stayed on the edge of the bed.

"Are you going to take care of me?"

"Yes Jack, I'm going to take care of you."

"Who are you?"

The man smiled a bit, and Jack felt himself smile back.

"Just call me the Doctor."

[I could piss and moan about getting twenty favs and subs and like... Three comments... But I think you get the message! I'm not gonna be one of those bitchy authors going "At least ten comments before I update!" but I'm just saying it would be nice! Also, this story is not set in stone and you might just get to see what you want if you just ask for it! XP]


	2. In the rain

There was a huge crowd when Gwen finally found her classmate. They had gathered at the back of the shopping centre down town, the cops pushing them back. Gwen bit her lip and tried to see past the mass of bodies, but got nothing. Then suddenly she spotted a face she knew.

"Andy!"

Andy was that boy in her class that she knew had a crush on her but unfortunately for him, Rhys was much cuter.

"Gwen! You'v got to come see this! Some bloke's been killed!"

She forced herself through the crowd, using her strong legs and sharps elbows until she reached her friend. Some other people from the class where there too, sipping milkshakes and gobbling down burgers, trying to catch a glimpse of the (supposedly) bloodsplattered corpse.

She took the police tejp in her hands, standing on her toes trying to see past the cars.

"You see anything?"

"Andy, you'r the beanpole. If you don't see nothing, how am I supposed too?"

He just chuckled at her joking glare and after a moment she grinned back.

"Oi! You lot! This ain't a parade! Get out of here!"

She stuck out her tongue at the police that had started to shoo them away, but just as she was about to turn away, she saw something weird.

"Andy? You see that bloke?"

"Which one?"

"The one in the long coat! He can't be more then eighteen!"

"Blimey... I think you'r right!"

She cast a glance at the long coat disappearing between the blinking lights, then she looked up at the grey sky, feeling the first drops of rain. Letting her eyes fall again, she got an idea.

"You wanna go get something to eat, or are you meting Rhys...? Gwen? Gwen?"

Gwen was born and raised in Cardiff, she had spent her entire high school period hanging out at the centre during her spare time. She had been up the parking area more then once and it was just above where the corpse was.

She took the stairs, since public lift usually means public toilet, and got out at the fifth floor. She figured it was high enough not to get noticed.

It was raining for real now, and she pulled up her hood before she stuck her head out the hole in the concrete.

The body was right below her, and for a moment she couldn't really see it since three bright spotlights had been placed around it. The lights reflected in the wet pavement and for a second, it looked really beautiful.

Then one saw the look of horror on the dead face, the blood running away with the rain, down in the gutter. Something turned over in her stomach, but she refused to leave just yet.

Then, the boy in the coat walked into the light, and he was not alone. Gwen held her breath and if she focused, she could just make out what they where saying.

"Man, this weather is piss!"

"Oh stop it, it's just as bad in London."

There was a skinny guy with short hair and tight jacket, just like the one her friend Mark had, and a short woman with black hair. When she turned her face, Gwen could see she was asian.

"Come on you guys, it's not so bad!"

"Shut it Jack! Why are we here to begin with?"

It was the boy in the long coat. So he was Jack.

"Principals orders. Anything you can do for him Owen?"

"I don't even have to poke him to know he's dead. I can't do it with dead people...!"

"Point. Suzie?"

"I can try..."

The boy with the short hair was Owen, but Suzie was a tall girl that Gwen had not noticed before. Now she sat down by the dead mans head, carefully lifting it and placing her hand in the back of his head.

The police where keeping their distance, most of them not even looking. She could only wonder why they would let people her own age into a crime scene, weren't those suppose to be preserved?

"Take your time Su, no rush. Don't force it, let it come to you..."

"Jack, I know how to do this, shut up...!"

"Alright alright...!"

He was American, she was sure of it now. Had to be, or he had been watching way to much telly.

Suddenly, the rain stopped. For a moment, Gwen thought that it had let up, but then she saw that it was still raining over the crowd and the police cars. It was just around the group by the body that it stopped.

A chill went down her spine. She knew that if she didn't look away now, her life would change forever. Gwen Cooper didn't even blink.

There was a rush in the air, and all heat in her body disappeared. Then, as by a miracle, the dead and bleeding body on the ground gasped, opened his eyes and let out a cry.

"Blimey! Good going Su!"

"Shut up Owen!"

"Where am I? Who are you people? What happened?"

The boy in the coat, Jack, sat down and placed a calming hand on the not-dead mans shoulder.

"Did you see who attacked you? Did you see anything at all?"

"Who are you? What happened?"

Gwen was still trying to cope with the talking corpse as the american tried his best to calm the man down, but apparently, being killed was quite traumatic.

"Damn, how much time left?"

"I don't know, Ianto usually keeps track."

"Where is he then?"

"Detention."

"Ianto Jones's in detention?"

"He covered for me, now shut up Tosh, Owen! Please sir! You're dead, and you'll have to calm down and tell us what you know if we'er ever supposed to find the guy who did it!"

The not-dead man gasped, looked them over and frowned.

"You're just a bunch of kids! What're you going to do?"

"We brought you back didn't we? Please sir, tell us."

"I'm sorry, I didn't see anything... He came from behi..."

Then, just as suddenly as it had stopped, the rain started falling again. Gwen felt like she had been under water, like a cold hand had just released a tight grip on her lungs.

"Damn..."

"Sorry Jack."

"Not your fault Su. You did good."

"We should have told him who we where from the beginning."

"Yeah Owen, that would have worked wonders. It's not like people generally like us."

"Oh shut up Tosh."

"So whoever killed him was a coward..."

"Jack?"

"It takes a coward to just sneak up on someone and kill him... His wallet is still there so it's not robbery..."

Gwen leaned further over the edge, having a harder time hearing now that the rain was drumming down again.

"What do you think?"

Suddenly, she was looking into the americans eyes, finding him smiling up at her. The rest looked at him confused, then followed his gaze. Gwen almost yelped and ducked in behind the rail again. Her heart hammered in her chest and finally, she payed attention to that now very large part of her brain telling her to get the bloody hell out of there.

[It's not going to stick this close to canon for long, trust me. I accept one-word comments! Go nuts!]


	3. Fire

"Common Gwenny, tell us what's eating ya?"

"It's nothin' Rhys, just a bit to much to drink..."

"Don't gimme that Gwen, I'm your bloody boyfriend! What is it that you can't even tell me?"

She smiled and leaned against him, sipping the liquor from the plastic cup, the music pounding in her ears. Saturday night, of course Rhys had asked her out. He didn't particularly like to go out drinking, but Gwen did, so he asked to make her happy. Half the time, Gwen said no, let's stay at home, just to make him happy. He was so good to her, she always felt like she should do better.

"You want to go home love?"

"Not yet. Go get us another will you?"

Her big lovely hubby smiled at her and took her empty cup, swaying his way through the crowd. Gwen made up her mind.

She was going to forget about that thing she saw last week and never think of it again. It was a bloody irregular thing and those where never good.

That's when she saw him. He was standing in the middle of the room, hands in his pockets, coat hanging down to his ankles, the raving, drunken mass floating around him, like he was invisible and he was looking straight at her with that same little smile he'd had in the rain.

Her heart skipped a beat, or two, or three, and she bolted.

She pressed herself out between the sweaty bodies and ran down the street. She couldn't risk running to Rhys, who knows what they'd do to him, so she ran all she could.

At the end of the street there was an old warehouse, she had played there countless of times as a child. It was no trouble finding the loose board in the fence, even if she had to struggle a bit more to get in now then when she'd been in first grade.

She ran across the yard and jumped in through the broken window, like she always did. She crouched down and peeked out at the shadows playing over the pavement she had just crossed.

Her heart was pounding, more then it should after running just one block, and she had to dig her fingernails into her palm to control her own breathing.

Just as she figured she'd lost them, the board in the fence moved, and figures started to move through it.

Gwen hunched down, prepared to sneak out one of all the alternative exits, when a voice cracked through the dark.

"It's you..."

She spun around, pressing up against the wall. They had made madrases and stuffed furniture here, and a lot of it was still laying around. It was easy to move around without making a single noise.

It was the tall girl, the one with the curly hair and slightly frail voice, like it was made from glass. She stood there, like a ghost, pale with big black eyes and stared at her.

"It's you...!"

"What? Do you know me?"

"Your the one..."

"The what?"

"The one..."

There was a chill again, like she was drowning in cold water, and the tall girl stepped closer.

"I see you, in my dreams. I see your face every time I use it..."

The girl was insane. That much made sense. Never get involved in irregulars, that's the way to get by. Nutters, the whole lot.

"You'r the one...!"

"Look! I don't know what you'r talking about! Just leave me alone!"

She made a move, tried to slide away, but then the slim girl suddenly pulled something out from her coat, pointing it at her. Even in the dark, Gwen could see it was a gun.

"You'r the one that's going to replace me."

"What?"

"I'm the special one, the one with the most precious, the most amazing gift, and you, YOU, will replace me! Well, I won't let you!"

"I don't want to replace you! I don't even know what you mean! Please! Just leave me alone!"

Gwen pressed up against the cold, hard wall behind her. This was unbelievable. She should never have looked, just see what good it did her! Why did she have to be so damn curious?

"No, I won't let you go. You have to disappear."

The tall girl took aim, straighten her arm and squared her jaw.

"Su, put that down."

The two women snapped up, looking around in the dark.

He wasn't hard to spot, really. This was the third time Gwen saw him and even now she realised that he was one of those people that walked into a room and then he became all that mattered in it. He was like a sun, pulling everyone into his gravity.

"Suzie, you don't want to do this, put the gun down."

"No Jack! Not this time! I won't let her replace me!"

The boy in the coat smiled, but it was a bit sad and he stepped forward, into one of the patches of light that came through the boarded windows.

"Nobody could ever replace you, Su. Nobody."

"No! None of your sweet talk! Not now! Back off Jack, just bloody back off!"

"Suzie, please..."

"NO!"

The bang echoed through the warehouse, and for a moment Gwen thought it had hit her. Then the boy hit the floor and she realised that the tall girl had just shot him.

Her ears where still ringing when the girl turned back.

"No... Please...!"

"I'll say you did it. I'll say you did it and nobody will ever know. You won't get me! You won't take my place!"

"I DON'T WANT TO TAKE YOUR PLACE! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"Go to hell...!"

Gwen felt her pull the trigger. She heard the clicks in the gun. She could taste the gunpowder.

She exploded.

[AN; Hate, flames, bashing! Anything! Just bloody comment please!]


	4. Break

"Gwen! Gwen Cooper! Snap to, get up! You have to wake up! Even I won't get us both out in time! Come on, the roof is giving out!"

"Wha...?"

Part of her was really embarrassed that she woke up in the arms of a dashingly hot (there, she admitted it) stranger. Part of her could just stare at the little drop of blood on his forehead where she knew he had been hit by that bullet.

Most of her panicked when she realised that the entire place was engulfed in flames.

"Oh! Good you'r awake! Now make it stop!"

"What?"

"Make the fire stop!"

"Do I look like a fireman to you!"

"No, but I figured if you could make fire, you could put it out!"

"I didn't start no fire! And you where shot!"

"Details! Ok, Hold on to me!"

Then she was pulled up on her feet, and they ran through the burning building, trying their best to avoid the caving derbies falling around them. A thick log hit Gwens leg, and without even asking, the boy swooped up in his arms and kicked the burning door out and half dragged, half carried her out.

On the back, there was a huge plain of grass where the kids played football. It was still soaking wet after the rain, and after a few yards, they both tumbled down on the grass, panting and smoking.

"Where... Did the girl... Go?"

"Suzie? ...She's dead."

"What happened?"

She knew, somewhere in her gut. It's like when your dreaming and you know something even though it makes no sense.

"You're irregular... I'm sorry Gwen, but you're one of us."

She wanted to scream, she wanted to curse and deny it, but she couldn't. She knew, she could feel it.

"Gwen... Are you alright?"

"How did you know my name?"

"Never mind that. You have to relax."

"I am relaxed!"

"Then why are you shaking?"

She looked down. Her hands where shaking and steam was rising from around her.

"Oh my God!"

"Relax...!"

"Oh dear God help me...!"

"Gwen if you don't relax, you'll blow up again!"

She whimpered and buried her face in her arms, trying to breathe but something was welling up inside her, threatening to burst out. Then a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around her and for the second time tonight she found herself in the tight hold of the boy in the long coat.

"Just calm down... It's not so bad... You'll do fine, Gwen Cooper."

She couldn't do it. Whatever was welling up in her chest burst out. Tears ran down her face and she just couldn't stop. She must have gone on for minutes before she realised that she was not on fire anymore, and that the steam had stopped. Still, she couldn't bring herself to get out of the awkward embrace, so she stayed and watched the old house burn, hearing shouts and sirens in the distance.

"Oi! What you think you're doing?"

Jack turned his head around, but Gwen didn't seem to have heard the angry voice. A kind of heavy bloke with short hair was stomping his way over to them.

"What are you doing with my girl ey?"

Jack gulped. Of course a pretty girl like her had a guy, he had to defuse this fast.

"You're her boyfriend? Thank heavens!"

He stood, pulling a slightly shell-shocked Gwen to her feet also.

"You take care of her! She was over by the house when it exploded, she might be in shock. Make sure she gets home, alright?"

He gently shoved her into the now confused boys arms and turned to sneak away into the dark.

"What! Who are you?"

"No one special! You take good care of her now!"

All Rhys really could do was stand there and watch the odd guy disappear between the shadows.

[If I get one more fav/sub without a comment, I'm going to hang myself. No joke.]


	5. Shatterd pices

She woke up in her own bed. She was home, she could hear her mum making breakfast and the news from the telly. The sky was grey outside her window, but it was still bright.

She wished that she could imagine that last night was a dream, but she still felt the fire under her skin. It was there, and it was not going away.

She sighed and got up, hoping she could at least pretend that everything was alright. Her mum would freak when she heard about this.

She looked at herself in the mirror. There was no change. Nothing whatsoever, no stamp in her forehead, nothing.

She remembered a month ago, when there had been a poll in the newspaper wether or not irregulars should have to be marked, so the general public would know who they where.

She had thought it was a good idea. Now she wondered how she had ever thought so.

Just as she walked downstairs, the doorbell rang.

"Gwenny! Sweetheart could you get that?"

She sighed, not really feeling up to facing anyone today, least of all some pushy salesman, and stomped over to the door.

"Yes?"

"Good morning, Gwen!"

She stared. Seeing that bright smile so early in the day completely threw her off her balance.

"This is my principal, Yvonne Hartman. We're here to talk to your parents. Can we come in?"

Jack didn't really wait for an answer, just walked past her, followed by a tall, slim woman in black with gorgeous blond hair.

"Gwen? Who is it?"

She didn't have time to answer before the woman, taking the lead and practically shoving Jack back, waltzed into the kitchen to grab her mothers hands and shake them ecclesiastically.

"Good morning Mrs. Cooper! May I call you Mary? Mary, I am Yvonne Hartman from Torchwood Cardiff, and I am here to collect your daughter."

"What? My Gwen? My daughter is no irregular! Get out, right now!"

"Now now, Mary, no need to become hysterical..."

"No child of mine is going anywhere near that house! Get out!"

The slim womans smile dropped a few degrees, her spine straightening out, making her even taller.

"Mrs. Cooper. I am the principal of the Torchwood institution here in Cardiff, and as such I do not need your permission to do anything. Gwen here is an irregular, so by the law, she must be trained at Torchwood until she is deemed safe enough to be released. You can accept this, or we will simply take her by force. Your choice."

Gwen had never felt so sorry for her mother before. Having an irregular in the family was equal to becoming social outcasts, at best.

"My Gwen is not one of you freaks!"

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid she is."

Gwen sat down on one of the chairs. It didn't feel real, it was too much too fast. She just wanted to crawl back into bed and pretend it was all a bad dream.

Her mother looked at her, and even though she'd been sure this was as bad as it could get, that look made it all the worse.

For seventeen years she had been a good girl. Sure, she could've studied harder and acted nicer, but she had stayed out of trouble and gotten into the school of her first choice. She had not been knocked up, taken any drugs and her parents even liked her boyfriend.

Still, her mother glared at her and there was just one question in those eyes.

How could you do this to me?

She coward into her chair, squishing her eyes shut. Her entire world was falling apart, and there was nothing she could do.

"So... What is it? All of you have some freakish deformity. What is hers?"

It hurt, to hear your own mother speak of you like that, it made her want to cry. Still, what had she been expecting? To be understood? That the people around her would accept her? Yeah right.

Then suddenly, there was a big strong hand on her shoulder and Jack's voice rang through the room.

"Your daughter has a beautiful and amazing gift! It's one of the most powerful ones I've ever seen. She is a Pyrokinesis."

"A what?"

"She makes fire. It is truly amazing!"

Most of her wanted to beat him up for trying to make this alright. It wasn't, it was horrible, but a small part was incredibly flattered that he had called her cursed gift beautiful.

Mary Cooper did not share that thought. She practically fell down on a chair, as if they had told her Gwen had been murdered in broad daylight.

The tall woman, Yvonne, took a step back and said in a soft but professional tone.

"It is amazing, and practically unique. Very few irregulars have such raw power, and none to the extent that your daughter does. We have to take her in, not just for your safety but for her own. She is uncontrolled and dangerous, she must be properly trained."

Mary hid her face in her hands, slumping together like the weight of the world was crashing down on her.

"Fine... Just take her... Just go..."

That's when Gwen realised what she should have known years ago.

Irregulars are outcasts. They have no family, and now that she was one of them, no one would ever love her again.

[Look at me, posting five chapters in one day! Comment? And I know this story is a bit slow, but trust me, you'll need it in the long run. Cause this long run is LONG!]


	6. Awake

"...And this will be your room. Walls are thin, so be thoughtful of your neighbours. Erm... Toshiko is on the right and on the left is Lisa. They are both very nice, so you don't have to worry. Dinner is at seven. Any questions?"

"What was your name again?"

The boy in the suit smiled at her. He must be about Jack's age, but he gave a much calmer expression then the american.

"Jones. Ianto Jones."

"Gwen Cooper. Can I...?"

"Oh! Of course!"

He opened the door for her, even held out his hand like a butler, and it did make her smile, even if it barely reached her eyes.

The room wasn't all bad. Smaller then her former, but not cramped in any way. Basic furniture, bed, desk chair wardrobe. An armchair by the window and a small bedside table. All that plus a thick carpet on the floor that made her want to take her shoes off and dig her toes into it. Maybe later.

"It's nice..."

"It's old. This house was one of the first institutions. It opened before queen Victoria died."

"Do you know everything?"

"Pretty much, yes."

She smiled again. Maybe the world wasn't ending after all.

"So what do you do? Everyone here does something, right, so what's your thing?"

"That's it."

"What?"

"What you said, that's my power. I know things."

"I don't get it..."

Ianto smiled understandingly and stepped carefully into the room. He held out his hand, inclining she should take it. When she did, she felt something warm at the back of her neck and Ianto closed his eyes for a second.

"You have a birthmark on your left arm shaped like a diamond."

"How did you...?"

He let go of her, still smiling.

"When I touch things, they call out to me. When I touch a book, I know what it's about and how the author felt when he wrote it and how the people who've read it felt when they did."

She stared at him, blank as a fresh page. He chuckled a bit.

"Don't worry, that bit about the birthmark is all I got. I can control it pretty much now. I don't like to snoop."

"Well, that's good I guess."

"Did I scare you?"

He looked so damn honest and just the tiniest bit scared, so she put on the best grin she could muster and shook her head.

"No, not really. I'm still getting used to this though... Yesterday irregulars where those weird, creepy people that you were suppose to stay away from, and now I'm one of them. It's just... Weird."

He nodded, not the tiniest bit offended. He knew how scary it could be.

"You'll do fine. Jack says you'll be in our class, so we will take care of you."

"How many are there in one class?"

Ianto held up his hand, counting his fingers.

"Well, it depends on the class. In ours it's me and Jack, Tosh, Owen and you."

"That's it?"

"Mh, since Su..."

He bit his lip. Not in an obvious way but the abrupt halt said enough. She suddenly grew scared again.

"What I did... Is anyone...?"

"The police don't get involved in what we do. And Jack told us what happened. Suzie went nuts and tried to kill you, you defended yourself. I'll miss her, she was a good friend, but no one will blame you, Gwen. If anything, it's my fault."

"Your fault? How would it be your fault?"

Something beeped in his pocket and he glanced down at his phone before smiling sadly.

"Because I should have sensed that there was something wrong with her. She was my friend, and I didn't realise that she was hurting. Before you blame yourself, blame me. I'll see you at dinner, and if you have any trouble, call me. Alright?"

She nodded and he waved and left down the old, dark stairs.

It was a big, victorian townhouse, almost like a museum. It had belonged to some doctor who donated it for the noble cause of keeping the freaks of the street.

There was a garden encircling the house, and tall brick walls with an iron gate keeping the public out.

The walls where white, carpets turkish, wood dark with age and the rooms where big and bright with enormous windows.

The top floor, just under the slopping roof, where the dorms. There where about thirty students, more boys then girls. The boys lived in the north end, and the girls in the south. They had separate bathrooms, but they shared the kitchen in the middle.

Most meals where to be taken in the dinning hall, though dinner was optional. Breakfast and lunch where mandatory on school days.

They had full access to all rooms at all times, except the teachers offices.

They had no curfew, no uniforms and the classes where held by older students most of the time. Teachers just assisted.

She had a hard time believing that last bit of information. Jack did not strike her as the teaching type.

"You're joking?"

"Nope, most of the time I'll be teaching you. Sixteen and above is mostly focused on how to handle your abilities, and that's sort of a trial-and-error thing. Couple of years ago, they decided that it would be better to let the students form their own classes and let the more experienced ones help the new."

"That is messed up..."

"Just a bit. I like it though, means I don't have to put up with aunti so much."

"Who?"

Jack grunted, clearly not happy about what he had just let slip. He twisted a bit in the leather chair and then he shrugged.

"I grew up here, in this house. The teachers here raised me, and the worst one was aunti Donna."

"Donna?"

"Donna Noble. English literature. Everyone else loves her, but she always picks on me...!"

"Noble... Why is that familiar...?"

Jack waved at a couple of students that appeared in the door to the lounge, then turned back to her.

"Donna Noble is one of those few precious Regulars that treats us like we're human. She's on TV from time to time."

"She's not an irregular?"

"Nope. No powers what so ever."

"Wow...!"

"Mh... She's amazing..."

"I thought she was annoying?"

"She manages to be both at the same time. Like I said, Amazing!"

She grinned a bit back at his smile. He seemed to be one of those people who would always see the glass as half full.

The lounge was off limits to the teachers, just like their offices where banned from the students. It was a sign of respect and trust that the students would take care of themselves. Gwen did understand that it was probably a bit of practise for the real world. Out there, they would only have themselves. They would be alone.

Jack got up for a moment, and when he came back it was with two bottles of something Gwen knew he was not old enough to drink.

"Are we allowed to have that on school grounds?"

The american boy shrugged and simply bit his bottle open, while Gwen used the edge of the table.

"In here, they don't care. And besides, government laws don't apply to us."

"What? Why not?"

Jack drank, wiped his mouth on his sleeve and looked at her with an expression that made her feel like he was a hundred years older.

"We have no rights, no humanity. We could be killed on the street and the cops wouldn't lift a finger. We're lower then dogs, Gwen."

The beer in her mouth tasted bitter, thick and dark.

"But on the plus side, we are not subjected to the laws either. We have no protection, but we don't have any obligations either. It's about as fair as it gets."

"It's horrible!"

"It's been like this for centuries."

"It's not right...!"

"Gwen, it's the very thing we are trying to change..."

She sat back, kicking her legs up on the table.

"How do you change something like that?"

Jack leaned back as well, sipping on his bottle.

"You change the way people think. That's what Donna does every time she's on the telly. Only reason she does it, really. The Doctor helps too, and I suppose the fact that we grow in numbers every year is another factor."

"Yeah I heard the irregular population was rising... Wait! Who's the Doctor?"

There was something different this time. Jack smiled a lot, that much was clear, but this one was different.

"Oh, he's the most brilliant man in the world. He's almost a thousand years old, still looks like he's mid-twenties. It was because of him that queen Victoria founded Torchwood in the first place."

"Wait! Hold it...! A thousand years old?"

"Yeah!"

"That's a bloody load of crap that is!"

"What and extortionately british sentence... Well, he is! He told me so himself."

"He was lying! Must have been...!"

"He has no reason to lie to me."

"Oh, what makes you so special? Except that you apparently can't die..."

The boy next to her leaned in, almost seductively, and whispered.

"Because he's my foster father."

[I promise shit will go down in the next chapter! I must also warn about the fact that the swearing will get worse, there will be some blood and guts in the future and that this story contains hetrosexual pairings (in case you didn't know)! This mean there will be people of DIFFRENT genders swaping saliva and other bodily fluids! Of course there will be some gayness, but if you could wait one season, you can wait a few chapters... And since I got so many comments, I shall write instead of watching A2A! See what you can acomplish with just a little line to the author! XP]


	7. Morning

When Gwen opened the door to head down for breakfast the next morning, Jack was already in the hall. He turned around to flash her his usual smile, then turned back to the room opposite hers.

Next to him was an older woman, black with her straight hair in a tight ponytail. She looked concerned as she watched through the open door.

"Good morning Jack... What's going on?"

The american stepped half a step back so she could see in.

"Miss Hartman wanted Ianto to have a look around Suzies room... But you don't have too! It can wait!"

Ianto was by the desk. The room looked pretty much like Gwen's, though a bit more personalised with books in the window and withering flowers in a vase on the desk.

"The fresher the memories, the clearer. I'll stop when I'm done..."

Jack sighed with a worried look on his face and turned back to the women in the corridor.

"Right, ok. Gwen, this is our school doctor, Martha Jones. Martha, this is Gwen Cooper."

"Hello Gwen. I've heard a lot about you. Are you doing alright?"

Gwen shook the taller womans hand and even managed to return her smile.

"Yeah, considering."

"Well, if you ever feel like talking, just drop by."

"I will, thank you."

They nodded at each other and turned back into the room. Jack had been watching his friend closely the whole time, and he was the first to notice.

"Ianto! That's enough!"

"I can still..."

"Ianto, you're shaking. It can wait, just come out...!"

Gwen did see that the hand on the desk was trembling before the walesman pulled it to his chest. He almost stumbled out and Jack was quick to step forward and wrap his arms around the other boy.

"Jack... I should have known... How did I not notice it...? Jack...!"

"It's alright. You never pried, you never do. She didn't want to tell us, nobody knew. I'm sorry Ianto. There's nothing you could have done.

"She was so scared Jack... She was so lonely... We abandoned her..."

Gwen almost felt like she was intruding, watching Jack comfort the still shaking boy.

"No, we didn't. We were always here for her, she chose to go through everything alone. It's not your fault, Ianto."

Finally, Ianto stood straight again and took a deep, shaky breath. Jack even went so far as to wipe his tears and give him a kiss on the forehead before letting go.

"Alright! You've done what the wicked witch of the west asked, now let's have some breakfast!"

Ianto smiled and Martha giggled.

"I'll tell Yvonne you called her that, and it will be detention again."

"No you won't Martha, cause then I'll injure Owen and you'll have to put up with his horrible flirting for the whole day!"

The dark woman gave him a slap to the back of the head, though she was still smiling.

"You wouldn't dare. Now get down and eat, all of you! And you take it easy today Ianto."

"I will Dr Jones."

Jack took both their hands and pulled his classmates down the stairs. Gwen looked Ianto over, but he did seem ok. He was even smiling a bit.

"You sure you're alright Ianto?"

"Hm? Oh don't worry Gwen. I actually do this a lot. Not with so close friends, but still..."

"Mhh..."

"And a hug from Jack always helps."

Jack laughed and Gwen felt her blush rise.

"Are you two...?"

"What? No."

"Yes!"

"In his dreams."

"You will see the awesome that is me one day Ianto!"

"Sorry Jack, I have Lisa."

"Should have never let you ask her out... Didn't think she'd actually say yes..."

It was so obvious they had this conversation a lot and she was almost sure that at least Ianto meant every word. Jack, not so sure.

"So you're girlfriend's Lisa?"

"Mh, she has the room next to you."

"Oh right! I haven't met her yet."

"She's wonderful."

"If you want to get stabbed..."

"She knew you where immortal Jack. And you did grope her."

"No reason to shove a javelin though my stomach..."

"She did what?"

When they got down to breakfast, it was easy to see who Lisa was. She stood up from the round table and waved at them and Ianto let go of Jacks hand to get over to her faster. They kissed gently and sat down next to each other. Judging from Jacks frown, Gwen figured he didn't like the black girl, but even so he walked over and sat down on the other side of the table.

The other two people she had seen in the rain two days ago where already there. The shorthaired boy, Owen, was sipping a cup of coffee and the asian girl, Toshiko, was slicing up a croissant.

"Well then team, and Lisa... This is our new class mate, Gwen Cooper. Be nice Owen."

Gwen hated to be introduced, especially to groups. To have a bunch of people staring at you, making their first judgement.

"Bloody hell Jack, you keep finding cute, lost girls everywhere. I'm starting to wonder if Ianto and I are in the way..."

Jack glared, but Owen didn't care as he held out his hand.

"Owen Harper. Nice to met you. Here, sit down."

Gwen shook his hand and sat down next to him. Jack poured himself a cup of coffee from the pot in the middle of the table. The asian girl wiped her mouth before holding out her own hand.

"Toshiko Sato, you can call me Tosh. You got the room between me and Lisa right?"

"Ah, yes I did."

"My turn then...! I'm Lisa Hallett. Pleasure."

"Gwen Cooper, much the same."

"Gwen, is that short for something?"

"No, that's my whole name."

Ianto stood up just as gracefully as he seemed to do everything else.

"I'm getting something to eat. Gwen, are you coming?"

"Oh, sorry Gwen I never eat in the morning, I forgot!"

"It's alright Jack. I'll come with you Ianto."

It was really different from breakfast at home. There they where quiet, her mom listening to the radio, her father reading the paper.

Here, there was talking, shouting and the clatter of forks and knifes on plates, glass on tables and spoons in bowls. In short, all the noise that came with almost thirty teenagers in one room.

As Gwen got to her second cup of the delicious coffee (apparently, Ianto made it better still) the last chair by the table was taken by an older woman with red hair and a plate full of food.

"Top of the mornin' to ya kiddies! How is everything?"

"Morning Miss Noble!"

"We're doing just fine miss."

"Good morning!"

"Ah, that's a new face that is! Donna Noble, english literature."

"Gwen Cooper. Hello."

The almost extremely happy woman shoved a load of sausage in her mouth before waving her fork in Jack's direction.

"You need to eat in the mornin' Jack! Most important meal of the day!"

Jack sipped his coffee and placed one foot on Owen's chair.

"I'm trying to keep my girly figure!"

Donna glared at him and viciously dug in to her potato.

"You cheeky little brat...! Wouldn't be so smug if I where you, you're coming back to my class after all."

Jack actually looked positively horrified while the rest of the table snorted.

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you are, you didn't get enough points last term. So there you go, mon petite Captain!"

"I'm not little!"

"Petite!"

"Donna, I'm warning you!"

"Am I bothered?"

"Please don't...!"

"No! Look at my face Jack! Am I bothered? Look at my face!"

"Donna!"

"Am I bothered? Am I?"

By the time Jack actually stood up and fled the scene under the pretence of getting more coffee, the rest of the table was in a laughing frenzy. Even Ianto chuckled while Owen was right out rude with his loud barking.

Very different from her quiet family.

Class was different too. Even the theoretical subjects wasn't the same.

She was in Jack's class, since those where decided by the grades. The others variated between fourteens year olds to Jack and one more older boy.

When the class started, Donna came over to her desk and asked how far she had gotten in her last school, what she remembered, what she enjoyed and what she wanted to become.

"I'm... Not sure actually. Didn't have much of a plan before, and now I can't really get a job anyway, can I?"

Jack, who was next to her by the desk, looked up from the task-sheets Donna had dumped on him the second he got in and poked her side with the pen.

"Of course you can get a job. A lot of irregulars have jobs. Owen's studying to become a doctor for example."

"Really? They let us get jobs just like that?"

"Actually..."

Donna sat down on the desk, crossing her arms in thought.

"Some people, like Harper for instance, are requested by the government. Owen has a very powerful healing ability. He can bring you back from the brink of death just by touching you."

"Not really the brink of death... But he is good. Really good."

"Can fix anything, from a cold to a fractured bone just with skin contact. If he agrees, he will be placed in a hospital and there he can subtly heal people who might not have lived otherwise. We do what we can to help."

"Who's we Donna? You're regular...!"

"Not to them I ain't! Just as bad as you lot in the eyes of the public."

"So... There are a lot of irregulars in regular jobs?"

"Yes. Most of them are placed out by the government though, according to what they can do. Miss Sato has been requested by pentagon in the states, but she's declining."

"Why? Sounds like a great job!"

"She'd be placed to develop weapons..."

"Oh... Not so great then..."

"What about you, miss Cooper? What would you like to become?"

"Not a fireman. That would be stupid."

Jack laughed, which might not have been smart cause Donna remembered he was supposed to be working and slammed his head down on the table. When he had stopped whining, she turned back to Gwen.

"Isn't there anything?"

"Well... I did think about one thing before all this..."

"And what was that?"

Gwen bit her lip, Andy had laughed when she told him. Still, she was a freak now, what did she have to loose?

"I'd like to be a cop."

On the backside of the house there was a courtyard, stuffed away into a corner of the garden. It was solid concrete, both the ground and the two walls.

"So, as you see, it's just to go nuts!"

Jack placed the last fire extinguisher down on the ground and gave her one of his moviestar grins.

"Jack... I have no idea how it works...!"

"And that's why we're training!"

"Why are we here?"

Jack glared at Owen who looked incredibly bored leaned against the wall with his hands in his pockets. Tosh stood next to him, but with a much more accepting face.

"Well, I'm the teacher, you're here in case someone's hurt, Ianto to help with his mind-probing thing and Tosh is... Moral support!"

"What mind-probing thing?"

"What do I look like, a nurse?"

"Does that mean I can go work on my project?"

Jack growled and Ianto covered his mouth so nobody would see him laughing silently.

"ENOUGH! The lot of you! We're a team, we support each other! We don't have anyone else to rely on, so we have to be supportive of our friends! You know how hard it is out there! Well, if we're going to survive, as a community and as individuals, we have to stick together! Now shut up and at least act like you care!"

The others looked slightly shocked after his little outburst, and a lot more alert. Ianto smiled. Jack had a way of being serious and dominant when he wanted to. He was a good leader like that, his natural compassion and charm making people follow him of their own will.

"Ok ok... I'll be the nurse... Fire away Gwen!"

She smiled a bit, but Ianto could feel how nervous she was even four feet away.

Apparently Jack felt it too, cause he stepped up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Ok, don't worry about me, you didn't kill me last time and you won't do it now either. I need you to find the trigger, the thing that sparks the flame."

Gwen just shrugged, shaking her head. She had no idea what she was supposed to do.

"Yeah, it's hard I know..."

"Jack, can I...?"

Jack looked as Ianto approached, shrugged and backed away.

Ianto held out his hand in an almost ceremonial way and she knew that if she took it, she'd give him access to everything she was. She looked at his sweet, honest face and realised that if anyone had to have that power, Ianto Jones was the right person for it. She placed her hand in his.

"Ok, I'll keep out of anything you don't want me to see. Let's just go through what happened in the warehouse, ok?"

She nodded, not really trusting her voice.

She could feel the damp night air, her chest still hurting from her heavy breathing, that strain of hair sticking to her neck with sweat and she knew Ianto could feel it too.

"Ready?"

She nodded again. Then she realised that that cringe in her stomach wasn't hers. Ianto didn't really want to do this, Suzie Costello had been a good friend and it hurt to know she had died trying to do something so awful.

Costello. Now she knew it was Ianto. She had never heard her last name before. The connection went both ways. A bit scary, but one got used to it. Realising things without being told, a tad creepy. Again, you get used to it.

The concrete under the soles of her feet. The smell of rotting furniture-stuffing. The bullet leaving the gun, coming for her forehead.

I'll never see Rhys again.

It wasn't an explosion. It was like on of those dreams when you stumble and wake up feeling like you are still falling.

Ianto had let go of her hand and ducked away, he had known when to let go.

It died down in a second, didn't even reach the ground. Gwen panted, trying to stop shaking. She had been so close to dying, it was just the sheer force of her powers bursting out that had knocked the bullet from it's path. It was probably still buried in one of the walls.

"Rhys... I thought I would never see him again and I just..."

Jack's brow wrinkled. The others looked slightly confused. Ianto had just heard the name, he had no idea who it was. He was not one for prying, like he had said.

"I knew it... Damn..."

"Knew what Jack?"

"Do you know the system for organizing the classes? We don't just pick and choose the ones we like, we have some order to it."

She shook her head, taking a deep breath and finally regaining full control of her limbs.

"We take the ones that have the same trigger. And I did figure yours would be emotional."

"Sorry... I'm lost."

Jack sighed, placing his hands on his hips and weighing back and forth on his feet.

"Well, first; can I tell her? What say you, little minions of mine?"

Gwen looked at the others, still just as confused. Owen was the first to shrug.

"No sob stories. Just stick to the facts, if you can."

"You can tell her about me. I don't mind."

"Ianto?"

The walesman looked slightly uncomfortable, but when he met Jacks look it melted away into a small, trusting smile.

"Like Owen said, just facts. We'll tell her our life stories on another occasion...!"

"Fair enough!"

Just as confused, and a bit overwhelmed, Gwen faced a still smiling Jack.

"Alright then, facts! Owen, he's a healer, Donna told you that. He has to touch the skin of the one he's suppose to heal, or it doesn't work. But another thing is that he has to want the person to live. He has to actually believe he can save them to do it."

It was obviously more to it, but Owen looked so damn uncomfortable that she decided not to ask. She was new, she would get to know in time.

"Tosh, she is a genius! Give her anything running on electricity and she will make miracles! She's one of those who grew up with her powers, so she doesn't really have a trigger, but when she's angry the lights flicker and the TV changes channel when she sneezes."

Tosh giggled apologetically, making Gwen smile too.

"And Ianto..."

He looked at the other boy. Gwen could see the struggle, the actual searching for the words. Then, the tall american shook his head and waved his hands.

"Sorry, I have no idea how to describe it without getting all sentimental about it. You can sort of get though I hope."

"Yeah, I think I get the picture. I still don't get what it has to do with me though?"

Jack bit his lip, squared his shoulders, took a deep breath and asked in a far to casual tone.

"Have you talked to your boyfriend about this? At all?"

Now she got it. It was hard not to, with the fire in her body flaring up at the thought of his smile, his hand in hers, his gentle words and soft kisses.

She bit her lip, cursing the tears suddenly assaulting her eyes. She shut them tightly and shook her head again.

"Alright then... Time for a field trip!"

"What?"

"All of us?"

"No, sorry kids this is just me and Gwen. Owen, get your butt over to the infirmary and help Martha out! Don't flirt, or I will give you homework or something!"

"Geezus..."

"Tosh! Go work on your project! Show me when you can explain it in a way that doesn't make my head explode!"

"Will do Jack!"

"And Ianto! Go see the witch! See if there's anything you can do for her, don't go into Suzie's room alone, wait until I'm back!"

"Yes sir."

"I love when you call me sir, it's so kinky...!"

"That's harassment, Jack."

"And Gwen!"

"Yes?"

"Get your coat! We'r going for a drive!"

[AN; Stuff will happen! I can't belive how slow this is! Cudos to everyone still here! Comments makes Tai type faster! X3]


	8. Surrender

"I can sit here all day Gwen."

"Then let's!"

"You have to face him at some point...!"

She couldn't do it, she couldn't get out of the car. The look her mother had given her was stuck on the inside of her eyelids. If her own mother wouldn't accept her, why would Rhys?

"Gwen, I can come with you..."

"No! Very bad idea! No!"

"Ok, but I'll be right here, I won't move. Just go, get it over with! Who knows, he might forgive you for not talking to him for two days!"

"Not the issue Jack!"

"Well, focus on that and the other thing might not be so bad...!"

She sighed. It might be worth it just to stop his nagging.

"I'll be right here. Go now."

She took a deep breath, tried not to think about what she was about to do and got out of the car.

She made it all the way up to Rhys's apartment door before she realised. No turning back now, Jack would probably drag her up the stairs if she didn't do it.

"Gwen! Oh my God where have you been I was sick with worry!"

He hugged her hard, squished the air from her lungs and she could tell he really had panicked. She let him hold her, who knows, it might be the last time, and just inhaled the smell that was him.

"Gwen? Where did you go? I called your house but your mum just hung up on me!"

"Torchwood..."

"What?"

"I was sent to Torchwood. I'm an irregular."

There, she'd said it. It was out of her hands and she hated it, not being in control of her own life any more.

"What...?"

"Remember that fire, the day before yesterday? That was me, I did that. I'm an irregular and I'v been enrolled at Torchwood."

He let go of her. His hands slided down her arms and hung by his sides. There was a look of pure shock and disbelief all over his face.

"You're an irregular...?"

She nodded, almost fanatically.

"And you didn't tell me..."

"I didn't know until that fire, I swear!"

He was backing away, grabbing the door.

"Rhys please! I'm still the same person! I'm still your Gwen! Please, please don't...!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry Gwen but I can't...! Go away, please, just leave!"

"No Rhys wait!"

But the door closed, right in her face and she could feel the fire rising.

I've lost him... I'll never see him again...!

She ran. If she stayed it would get ugly, real ugly. She ran down and almost threw herself into the car.

"Get me away! Somewhere with no people! Hurry!"

Jack didn't ask, just put in full gear and drove like a mad man through the neighbourhood until he pulled up by the burnt down warehouse. He went right though the broken fence and ran out the car, pulling her form her seat and into the already damaged building. Then he ducked away, as far as he could bring himself to.

She cried. The tear evaporated before they left her eyes but she did cry. The fire didn't take, it had been raining and most the burnable things where dust and ashes already.

It might have been hours, maybe five minutes. Eventually, Jack came over and put his hands on her smoking shoulders. He hissed a bit at the heat but didn't let go.

She leaned against his chest. Right now, he was the only thing in the world that kept her sane. That, on its own, told her how bad her life was right now.

Martha and Donna where in the teachers lounge when their phones went off at the exact same time. They glanced at each other before diving into their pockets and digging them out to read whatever text it might be. They didn't check who sent it, they knew.

At the same time, in the other end of the building, Lisa Hallet picked up her own phone, also knowing who it was without checking.

"Yes?"

"The new girl."

"Gwen Cooper, she's in the room next to mine. I don't think Jack has gotten to her yet. Apparently, her family has rejected her, so she might be easy to persuade."

"And Jones?"

She bit her lip.

"I will get him. I've taken him from Harkness once, I can do it again. I will not fail."

"No, You will not."

She hung up, and slowly a smile spread over her face.

There was a knock on Tosh's door and before she could more then turn around it opened and showed a smug looking Owen with a tray of snacks.

"Owen? What is this?"

"You missed lunch. Actually, everyone but me and Ianto missed lunch, Jack and Gwen ain't back yet."

"Oh! Is it that much already?"

"Figured you'd end up in one of your little work-comas so I picked this up for you. Make sure you eat before going back to work, or else you'll faint and then Martha will have to kiss you again... Actually, never mind I'll just eat this myself..!"

"Owen!"

"Oh shut up it was hot!"

They laughed and Tosh obediently bit into the chicken sandwich and sipped the tea. Sometimes, Owen could be such a gentleman and those times she really hoped it was his true self shining through.

"So what on earth is that? And make it stupid cause I just ate and my brain is slower then normal!"

"So it's not working at all?"

"Ha ha. Very funny, now tell me."

She put down what was left of the sandwich and picked up the device. It was about as long as a pen and thick as two of her fingers put together. She held it delicately, like it was an ancient treasure.

"It's something I'm working on for the Doctor. He gave me the plans, told me it wasn't really supposed to work but I've tackled that problem before. I think I can get it operable, just give me another week."

"Bloody hell Tosh! I thought you weren't gonna make any weapons!"

"It's for the Doctor, you think he'd ask a sixteen year old to make a weapon?"

"Mh, point... Bit it looks weird. What does it do? What is it called?"

She loved it when he asked. Most of the stuff she told him probably made no sense to him, but he asked anyway. She loved him for that.

"It does a lot of things. I can't make it work on wood though, he'll have to manage. It's called a sonic screwdriver."

She was waiting for him, leaning against the car like some gangster from a movie and he couldn't help but to smile as he got out from the plane and walked over.

"There you are! That took forever!"

"The trip or the mission?"

"Both!"

He leaned in and kissed her cheek.

"Where you lonely?"

"Just a bit. I have a life too you know, I don't just sit around waiting for you to come back! I've been to Peru!"

"I heard! Did you bring back a llama?"

"No, but I got you a hat!"

He laughed and they got in the car, him in the passenger seat. He knew better then to argue over who was driving.

"You know, you should go see him."

"I have work..."

"You always have work, the world is never going to be safe. You have to face him at some point."

He sighed and looked out the window.

"I know."

"We faced the Dalek leader and won. You can face your own son!"

"I know Rose. Just... Give me a moment."

"I'll give you ten minutes. We're going to Torchwood first!"

"What?"

"Too late! I already told Donna and Martha, they know you are coming!"

"What?"

"And they will tell Jack! I have to get his number...!"

"What?"

"Stop that!"

"Oh please save me now...!"

"Sorry darling! Cracked up family, here we come!"

[AN; If I beg you guys for comments, will I get at least one?]


	9. House Call

As soon as Jack pulled in to the parking lot he was surprised to see Donna running towards the car as fast as she could without tripping. He rolled down the window on Gwens side and leaned over.

"Jogging in high heels is not recommended, no matter what the Cosmopolitan says!"

Donna frowned at him before her face cracked into a huge honest grin.

"He's back! Jack, he's come home!"

Gwen had no idea who she was talking about so she turned to Jack for an explanation but seeing his wide-eyes stare she completely forgot.

"He's back?"

"Yeah! Not ten minutes ago, he's having tea with miss Hartman!"

Jack threw of his seatbelt and opened the door but the he halted himself so suddenly his momentum made him slide of the seat and down to the ground.

"Gwen! Gwen I can't just...!"

"I'll be fine Jack...!"

"Not a risk I'm willing to take! Come here!"

With that, he shut the door, ran around the car and pulled her out.

"I'm not just dropping you Gwen, I'm not that bad of a friend... Though I guess all this is sort of my fault..."

She shook her head. He had been right, she would have had to face him at some point. Still, all she wanted right now was to go to bed.

"Jack, I'll just head up to my room, I still haven't unpacked and..."

"Not leaving you! Come on, I'll introduce you to the most amazing man in the whole world!"

"Who?"

Jack grinned and Gwen did smile back because he looked happier than a child on christmas eve.

"The Doctor!"

Over the past two days she had gotten bits of information about this doctor-fellow, how brilliant and wonderful he was. That he was centuries old and had been fighting this cause since before it was a cause. He was a genius and a hero.

"Hi there! I'm the Doctor! What's your name then?"

She blinked. Twice. Then she made an effort to return the huge childish grin and shook the bony hand held out to her.

"Hi... I'm Gwen Cooper."

The skinny man in the brown suit shook it with force and peered at her from all angles he could.

"Say Gwen... How long has your family lived in Cardiff?"

"Urm... Since the nineteenth century I think...?"

"Hm, I thought so..."

"What...?"

"Met a girl named Gwyneth, 1869, right here in Cardiff! Bright young woman, you look just like her! Even have that same little gap in your front teeth!"

She glanced over at Jack only to find him squirming in silent laughter. She gave him a face and turned back to the man with the poofy hair.

"So, miss Hartman says you're the new little protégé. You're pyrokinesis right?"

"Eh, yeah. I think that's what it's called."

"Amazing...! It's been a long time since I saw someone with a pure element... Centuries at least...!"

Gwen squirmed a bit. The room was big and bright, one of the few sitting rooms that had been kept as just that. The chairs were a soft blue that went well with the dark wood and for some reason it matched the Doctors suit perfectly.

"What did the one before do?"

The Doctor looked over at Jack, and Gwen started to notice that he had yet to even smile in his direction. Now his brows wrinkled and he placed his fingertips together, answering in a soft, almost sad tone.

"Oh... He controlled lightning. Well, controlled is a strong word. It tore him apart, ripped his mind and soul to shreds. He was born dying, and nothing I did could save him..."

The contrast to the smile he'd worn just a minute ago robbed Gwen of all possible words. She just sat there, trying to understand. Now, for the first time, she believed that this man might have lived for such a long time. He almost looked older.

"Not that that will happen to you, Gwen! You seem right as rain! ...You ...Don't hear anything strange do you? Noise? Voices? ...Drums?"

"What? No?"

"There, see! Perfectly fine!"

She looked at Jack again, getting only a smile and a shaking head.

"Well, I'm afraid I don't have much time, Rose should be done by now. I'm afraid I'll have to leave. Got a world to save and all that."

She was almost startled when he suddenly stood up. Looking at his feet she had to bite her lip not to laugh. Suit and sneekers? How did he make that combo work?

"Well then, Gwen Cooper, Jack. You two take care of yourselves! I'll drop by before I leave again. Stay out of trouble and don't call miss Hartman a witch, it's not nice to those hard-working magical women who rightfully bear that title..."

"Doc...?"

"Yes Jack?"

There was something cold in the way he said his name, turning around in the door with his coat over his arm.

"Can we... I dunno... Have dinner or something? Before you leave? Talk a bit? Just us...?"

She had never seen Jack so insecure before. She almost felt like giving him a hug.

"We'll see."

Then he was gone and Jack was looking at the empty doorway with a look that Gwen recognized far to well.

"Oh my God..."

"What?"

"You're in love with him!"

"No I'm not! He's my dad! Jesus Gwen...!"

She stared him down, piercing him with her sharp eyes. He caved in seconds.

"Yeah... That obvious?"

"Sorry, was it a secret?"

"Is that sarcasm?"

"You bet! Is that why he's so...?"

"Awkward? Yeah... Guess I shouldn't have told him but... I had to...!"

She looped her arm around his, leaning against his shoulder.

"Guess you and I have quite a lot in common..."

Jack put his hand at the back of her neck and placed a soft kiss in her dark hair.

"Yeah... Guess we do."

She felt so drained. She just wanted to forget. Forget about her mom and dad, even if she wondered what she had told him. She wanted to forget about Rhys and her old school and her old life. She couldn't run from this, she wouldn't even try. Better to just wipe it clean and start fresh.

"Hey Gwen?"

"Yeah?"

"Wanna go find the others, shack up some booze and pizza and just have a little party in Owens room?"

"Why Owens?"

"He doesn't mind the mess."

"Let's go then!"

"Did you talk to Jack?"

He jumped almost guiltily when Rose popped up behind him. Shrugging the rest of the jacket up on his shoulders he turned around with a big goofy grin all over his face.

"Yeah! Great chat! He has a new friend, Gwen! Lovely girl, reminds me off a friend I had back in 18...69...!"

Rose crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, making his little rant ebb out and stop mid-sentence.

"I tried, I really did...!"

"Not hard enough."

"What do you want me to do Rose? Go along with it? I couldn't! And even if I could, what about you?"

"Doctor..."

He bit his lip. He knew she was right, she always was. His beautiful, wonderful, fantastic, amazing, brilliant Rose. Still, he couldn't do it. He tucked his hands in his pockets, facing away.

"I'll try again before we leave. Now let's get this over with, ok?"

"Ok. But we're coming back! And I'll keep dragging you back here until you two work it out!"

He groaned. He loved Jack, he really did, but not the way the boy wanted him too. To the Doctor, Jack would always be that crying little six year old he had rescued from the riots.

"You don't realise do you?"

"Realise what?"

Rose gave him a sad smile, taking his hand as they walked through the house.

"How much it hurts me to see you reject him like that. Seeing how cruel you can be to someone who loves you."

He stopped. Cursing in a language long forgotten by mankind he pulled his brilliant Rose into a tight embrace. This had to stop. He could live with the little dance he and his son did, he could bear it until the stupid boy got some sense, but if Rose was hurting, this had to stop.

He was playing favourites, he knew, he was only human. Well, not only, but close enough. It didn't change much though, she would always be his reason. For everything.

"Let's... Get the world as safe as we can for a minute, and then I'll take care of my straying son. I promise."

"Alright."

As they came up the stairs, Jack and Gwen were met by a smiling Lisa, a pot of tea, a plate of biscuits and two cups.

"I heard from Ianto. Do you want to talk?"

"Well..."

"We don't have too, but I thought you might want a cup, just to calm down."

"Thank you Lisa... I think I'll take you up on that actually."

"Alright! I will leave Gwen in your... Delicate hands, Lisa. Pizza at eight! You know where Owens room is, right?"

"Second on the left, I remember."

"Good! Later!"

They watched him waltz off to the boys section, long coat swaying behind him. Lisa rolled her eyes and nodded towards the girls' end.

"Want to come to my room? More privacy..."

"Sure. Let me help you with that!"

"Oh thank you!"

Gwen woke up five minutes before the alarm went off. It surprised her, considering the amount of alcohol she'd drunk the night before. She sighed and rolled over on her side, watching the seconds tick past her eyes.

She had cried. She had cried and told Lisa everything. About the spying in the rain, about the fire, about her mom and about Rhys. Lisa was so kind, patting her back and handing her tissue after tissue, not even minding that the tea went cold, forgotten on the bedside table.

Ianto came and knocked, telling them dinner was served. He had given Gwen half a hug and asked her if she was alright. She had thrown the question right back at him, getting only a small smile.

They got by. Live day by day, care for those you met and remember those who leave. She was starting to understand. They only had each other, everyone else in the world would reject them. Still, if she was going to be a freak, at least she was in good company.

A bit too good turned out. Gwen groaned and buried her face in the pillow.

The problem with beer, no matter how much you eat before or how little you drink, is that it takes away all your sense of decision.

At least she'd had enough sense to go to sleep in her own bed and not Owens. Though he was a damn good kisser. Today was going to be so awkward.

"Alright! Page 31 and I don't want to hear a single word that's not written in there!"

Everyone snorts and does as they're told. Donna is a good teacher, just as rude and easily bored as any of her students. They will read sonnets for about forty-five minutes, then it will turn into a Hamlet-parody staring miss Noble and Mr. Harkness. They can read until it boils down to that.

True to form, the last half hour is spent watching Jack and Donna go at it like two rabid dogs on crack. Gwen has never enjoyed english literature so much, and she suspects that miss Noble has actualy managed to teach them something today, despite all the interruptions. Gwen might even be abled to recall a few Shakespeare lines if she has too.

In the afternoon they have power practice and Gwen still feels the world spin slightly when she reads it on her schedule.

"I don't want too!"

"Owen helps you practice, so return the favour please."

"I still don't see why I should cut myself!"

"He'll heal it...!"

"Still don't see the point! You do it!"

"I can't!"

"Why not?"

Jack grunts and leans against one of the desks in the empty classroom.

"I'll heal faster then he'll manage. Immortal, remember?"

"More like immoral..."

She glances over at Owen. If it had been yesterday she would have done it just to see how he did it, but today she is awkward and he still hasn't looked at her. Damn.

"Why can't you just practice on yourself?"

He glances at her, then looks away and is she imagining that he's blushing?

"Can't do that neither. Can't heal myself... Bloody useless gift ey?"

"Oh..."

"That, and the more Owen heals someone, the faster it gets. If you get injured, it's better if he's used to your body."

She tries real hard not to glow bright red, but Tosh still raises an eyebrow at her. Double damn.

"Fine, whatever!"

She takes the knife Jack held out at the start of the bloody conversation and holds her hand over the sink. No need to make a mess.

She doesn't cut deep, she can't bring herself to it, so she makes it a long cut over her arm.

"You better not leave a scar..."

His hands are cold as they hold her, and she wonders if she's warmer then before now that the fire is so close to her skin.

"Don't worry love. I've done this before. Wouldn't dream of leaving such a mark on a pretty girl like you."

He smirks at her and god help her, but Gwen smiles back. She realises that everyone in the room now knows but it's done and there was no way of keeping it a secret anyway.

Lisa picks up her phone, carefully. She doesn't want to be caught with it during class but that ringtone she can't ignore. It's a text. A name and an order.

Secure him.

She closes the phone and starts plotting how to make a regular fall into her net. She decides on her red dress and focuses on her schoolwork.

[AN; Still no comments... Don't get me wrong, I like to see subs and faves, but darnit I want to know what you think! What I think is that after the latest episode of Torchwood, I was so bloody right to give Gwen her powers! BITCH IS ON FIRE! Gawd I love her! X3 Feels weird posting chapter nine when I'm working on twelve... Still, if there is something you'd like to see, review! It might just pop up! Like the stopwatch-scene, or something like that! Go for it, I'm a nice little nerdy fangirl like the rest of you, I'll love it! XD]


	10. Warmth

Martha looks at the man on the other side of the screen. A good thing about working for the government is the high-tech that enables her to see him even when he's gone for weeks and weeks.

The bad thing is that when he calls, it's never to say hello.

"I'm sorry babe, can't get to the Doc so will you please tell him?"

"I'll try. He and Rose where here yesterday."

"Damn, I should have been faster... Did he talk to Jack?"

"A bit, it's still awkward though. I'll make sure he knows, don't worry!"

"I always worry about you. With the luck we're having we'll be engaged forever, whether we want to or not..."

She smiles at him, getting one in return. She would love to be there with him, she knows she could do it. But the school needs her and so far she is the only doctor (except THE Doctor) that Owen listens to, so she has to stay.

"Don't worry Micky, we'll manage. You be careful! Remember the Sontarans?"

"I won't get sneaked up on again, and we crushed their little suicide-squad! Let's worry about the Cybermen for now!"

Martha sighs and scrolls down in the info her fiance has sent her.

"Micky...?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think they might have infiltrated the school? A lot of these kids have been rejected by their own families. They are young and the new generations are becoming more and more powerful..."

"Do you suspect anyone? I thought the Doctor made sure they knew only to use their powers to help?"

"He tries, but he's away more than you are. We can only influence them so much before it becomes brainwashing."

Micky frowns. He's never really liked the Doctor, not since he sort of stole Rose from him (actually, Rose came quite willingly and Mickey was a bit of a wimp back then), but he has calmed down since he joined the special forces. He would have joined Torchwood if not for his lack of powers.

"It's his bloody institution, he should be there!"

"It's not his, it's a government facility..."

"It's a load of bollocks and you know it! It has his name on it!"

"Where?"

"Martha, what is Torchwood an anagram for?"

Martha wrinkles her brow for half a minute, then she glares at the screen.

"Don't you have anything better to do?"

He grins at her and she smiles back because she has no idea how Rose ever left him, even if Martha has had a tiny (huge) crush on the Doctor herself. Come on, who hasn't?

"I gotta go, I'm sorry babe!"

"I love you! Come home soon!"

"I will, and we'll have a proper wedding, church and all! See you soon!"

They never say goodbye. If they did, both of them fear they might never see each other again. It's irrational, but in this line of business it's better to be paranoid.

Speaking of being paranoid.

"Now then, how does one figure out if a student has been corrupted by Cybermen?"

Martha flicks though her files, but her brain hands the name over within seconds. The last student in the institute to betray the Doctor. She sighs and checks her watch. They should be done for the day now.

"Lisa Hallet."

"Jack!"

He grunts and sinks further down his chair.

"Just because you don't like her it doesn't make her a traitor. Do you have anything to back that up with?"

"My skin crawls when I see her..."

"Other then your dodgy gut feeling?"

Jack and Martha glares at each other for a while until Donna clears her throat.

"I can't imagine anyone here joining the Cybermen. Surely they must realise they are fanatics, bent on killing everyone who's not irregular."

Martha sighs and sits back. Jack is one of the few students that has ever seen the inside of the faculty office, and probably the only one who's been there on a regular basis.

"Sure, but some of them have been thrown out and abandoned by their regular families and friends. If that bitterns is feed, they might not see clearly."

Jack watches the two women talk, going over all his schoolmates in his head. He forces down his dislike for Lisa, trying to remember if anyone has been spurting Cybermen-propaganda. He keeps up to date, both with the Cybers and the Daleks, know your enemy after all. He can't take their philosophies seriously, but he remembers it so he'll recognise them if his friends should start acting upon them.

"How's miss Cooper doing?"

He looks up. Gwen has been written off the list in his mind from the beginning, she's far to focused and clever to fall for that "We are the supreme race" nonsense the Cybers are trying to provoke.

"She's doing just fine. She's more shaken about being dumped by her boyfriend than anything, but I think Owen's helping her out on that bit."

The women frown. Owen Harper has quite the reputation, he's just one barfight away from being banned from The Rift.

"Shouldn't you be helping her with that? I trust you more then I trust Owen."

He shrugs at Martha. She's the one Owen flirts with the most.

"He beat me too it I guess. Besides, I'm not any more serious then he is..."

The women shake their heads. Growing up surrounded by them and with the Doctor as role model, no wonder the boy is messed up.

"I'll keep an eye on Gwen, don't worry. And right now I can't think of anyone who'd go Cyber, but everyone knows I'm close with the Doctor so they might have been keeping it from me."

"Could you ask Jones?"

Jack shakes his head. He never asks Ianto to use his powers, he knows how much it hurts.

"No, not yet, not until we're sure there is an actual threat. He hates spying on his classmates and as his teachers you shouldn't ask him."

"Mh, true."

"You're right Jack, sorry."

He nods at them. They have to be practical, it's what they are payed to be. They aren't suppose to pay so much attention to the students well-being to begin with, the government just wants soldiers, but these women will be executed for treason rather than use these kids as guineapigs. He loves them for that.

"I'll snoop around, ask the others. We'll nip it in the bud. What was it Rickey was saying?"

"Jack...!"

"It's fun, come on!"

"You know his name, say it properly!"

"Whatever... What exactly did he say?"

Martha leans back, shaking her head in wonder. Donna is the one who tells him, even though she doesn't understand either.

"Just that The Bad Wolf is coming."

Jack feels a chill run down his spine, feels something hot, like a sunburn on his chest.

"What's the Bad Wolf?"

The women shrug.

"No clue. He said the Doctor would know."

That night Jack dreams of the sun, slowly burning him to ash. When he wakes up his heart is pounding and he knows there is something wrong in the school, he just can't see it yet.

"Damn... Life wold be much easier if Lisa just turned evil so I didn't have to think so much about it..."

Making sure to put those thoughts away before he mets Ianto, Jack gets dressed and heads down for breakfast.

The first thing he notices is the empty seat next to his friend.

"Hi Ianto, pass the coffee please. Where's the harpy?"

"The harpy is my girlfriend, call her by her name. She hasn't come down yet."

Even when being shot down, Jack can't help but to smile at his friends calm response. It's rare to see Ianto shaken by anything, he faces life with a cool air of gracefulness. It can be quite the comfort, especially if you know there's a risk your friends have turned into murdering fanatics.

"Is she sick?"

Ianto smiles, not buying Jacks attempt to smooth his previous comment over.

"It's early, I'm surprised you're up."

"I can get up early if I want too!"

"Sure you can Jack."

He can't do more then pout because Ianto picks this moment to slide a cup over the table and Jack knows what's in it. He grins and lifts it as if it were the holy grail.

"Ahh! I love you and your coffeemagic, Ianto...!"

He gets a small sigh and an eye-roll in reply but Jack doesn't care. It's quiet and calm in the dinning hall, most students won't be down for another half hour, so the two boys relish the peace while it lasts. Jack sips the hot beverage, watching Ianto read the paper. Then he thinks of his dream.

"Hey Ianto..."

"Mh... Yes?"

"Remember when we first met?"

Iantos cup stopped halfway to his mouth. He looked at the boy across the table, wondering what brought this on. Jack was usually the last one willing to talk about old times.

"Yeah... It was quite the eventful day. Why do you ask?"

"Oh nothing really. I just... had a weird dream."

"What kind of dream?"

It didn't look like nothing, Jack had looked troubled since yesterday afternoon. Well, more troubled then usual that is. He really did worry to much.

"I can't remember... Something about the sun..."

"I don't get what that has to do with the day we met. It was cloudy..."

"Yeah I remember. The Doctor made me wear my raincoat."

The Doctor. Ianto couldn't remember the last time Jack referred to him as dad. For some reason there was a twinge in his chest at that thought.

"I dunno. Sometimes I wonder if I did the right thing back then, I could have really messed you up!"

Ianto smiles. When Jack does talk about that day, he always finds some backwards way to apologise, even though nothing happened.

"It wasn't the right thing and it wasn't the wrong thing to do, it was just a very Jack thing to do! And I'm fine, as you might have noticed, so I'd say job well done. Stop fretting over it now, it was ten years ago!"

Jack smiles, sipping the coffee.

"You have to stay here Jack, do you understand?"

It's the first time he's gotten to come with his new guardian on one of his missions, and it's mostly because it's an emergency and he couldn't just put the boy on a plane back to Wales by himself. Jack knows he's not supposed to even be here, so he nods very convincingly.

"Ok, I'm just going to go upstairs and see what I can do for this boy, so you stay here. It won't take long and I'm sure Mrs. Jones here can get you a biscuit or something while you wait. Maybe even a banana!"

"I don't like bananas!"

"Bananas are awesome! Always bring one to a party! Now stay here Jack."

Then he stands up and leaves. Jack glances at the woman next to him but she doesn't look like she's going to fetch him either a biscuit or a banana anytime soon. She just glances at Jack, frowns and leaves him alone in the big, lush hallway.

Jack does as he's told for a total of three minutes and forty-six seconds. That's a new record.

The Doctor bites down a grunt as the father of the house unlocks the door. He has a kind air about him, a man who works so hard for his family that he rarely sees them. Must be the mothers idea to lock the door.

"He's in here..."

They are desperate. The Jones family live in an old posh house, but it's only a facade. They are bearly scraping by and now their son has become one of those things. They are desperate for a cure. The Doctor pushes the door open and steps inside.

"You don't have to stay..."

The man nods and almost runs down the stairs. The Doctor walks into the room, towards the lonely figure.

It's a big room, hardwood floor, huge windows with thick curtains, velvet wallpapers fading with age.

In the middle, there is a chair. It's newer then anything else in the house, possibly from IKEA. On the chair is a boy, about Jacks age. His hair is dark and he's gripping the edge of the chair with fingers that are going pale from bloodloss.

"Go away..."

"Ianto? I'm the Doctor, I'm here to help you."

"No... Nothing helps, it just makes it worse. Please go away...!"

"I'm not A doctor, I'm THE Doctor. I CAN help you Ianto, but you have to let me."

He slowly walks over, hunching down in front of the shaking body. There is no bed in the room, no desk no bookshelf no books no toys, just the chair. Not even a carpet.

"Please, go away... Nothing helps just leave me alone."

"Your parents told me you can't eat anymore. Can't even drink water. You'll die soon."

"I just want it to go away... Please make it go away...!"

The Doctor wonders if he has begged his mother and father for the same thing. It must have been hard for them, not being abled to help their own child.

"I can't make it go away, it's a part of you and it will never go away. But I can help you control it. Make it so you can touch things again. Will you let me do that?"

"Don't touch me!"

He halts his hands a few inches from the boys head. Ianto hasn't moved, he's just gone tense, waiting for the pain.

"I have to touch you. Don't worry, it will be alright..."

"NO!"

The boy kicks back the chair, throwing himself desperately away and bolting for the door. The Doctor almost grabs for him but then he remembers and lets him escape. Best not to touch him yet.

Ianto runs. It's been over a month since he was outside his room and there are new impressions in the walls. Every step on the carpet sends new images through his already overloaded brain. The stairs have been rebuilt, about fifty years ago. Ianto can't remember which steps are real any more. He screams.

Jack finds a crying boy in the middle of the stair. A crying, screaming shaking boy and he does the first thing that comes to mind.

The Doctor rounds the corner just in time to see Jack sit down on the step, holding out his arms.

"No... JACK!"

Ianto sees everything. He has for years now. First it was just feelings, sudden moods that would come over him, but then it became words, images, whole memories. Not just from people, though they are easiest, but from things. Chairs and tables and books and clothes.

He tried to tell his parents, but they thought it was just his imagination, a game he played. Then, he started telling secrets. Ask questions about events he should not have known about. Talk to people who weren't there. It just got worse.

Then, he stopped eating meat. As soon as he put a pice in his mouth, he saw the poor animals whole life flash before his eyes, every feeling it ever had filled his heart. Then came the dull pull from nature, the rich memories of the soil. Then, the water started telling him of times before even man kind walked the earth.

To much for his little head. All the knowledge of the world in a little boy who just started school. He couldn't take it anymore, and neither could his parents. Now he's lost, even though he knows every road in the world by heart, and he can't remember who he is or why he's hurting.

Then, suddenly, there is a warmth around him. It's been a long time since he saw the sun shine down from the London sky, even longer since he felt it on his skin, but there it is, wrapping around him, whispering.

"Hey, don't cry. It's gonna be alright. Don't cry."

And he feels. The boy hugging him is American, he is bash and stubborn and he never listens but he cares so much. He is happy and the world is an adventure. He is sad and the past is horrible and painful, yet he smiles and wobbles Ianto back and forth, trying to calm him down.

"The Doctor will fix it, he's amazing! He can fix anything, you'll see. It'll be alright!"

He believes it. He feels Jack and his complete faith in that man in the brown suit, and suddenly Ianto can breathe again. He takes a deep breath, smelling the other boys clothes and the kids shampoo the nice woman with the blond hair washed him with yesterday.

He leans his forehead against the skinny boys shoulder, relaxing for the first time in god knows how long. The most comforting feeling, the one that wins him over, is the knowledge that even if Jack had known Ianto could see his entire heart and soul, he would still have hugged him just the same. Jack doesn't mind sharing everything he is. Ianto breathes, and stops crying.

The Doctor hold his hands on his cheeks, two fingers on either side of Iantos ears, and the mist of memories fade away. He still feels it, sees everything in the corners of his eye, but it's mostly gone.

"Wow..."

"It won't last forever, but I can take you to a school where they can teach you to control it. Would you like to go?"

He nods, still holding Jacks hand in his. He hasn't let the other boy go, not once. Jack doesn't mind, he likes holding hands. The Doctor smiles.

"You'll be going to school here in London, but if your family ever moves back to Cardiff you and Jack can go to the same one. Speaking of which, we have to go now. Say goodbye Jack."

They don't. Jack just grins.

"I forgot to tell you! I'm Jack Harkness!"

"Jones... Ianto Jones."

"I'll see you around then, Jones Ianto Jones!"

It's years until they met again, but that day would be crystal clear in their minds even then.

[AN; Please comment or I might shoot myself.]


	11. Gunpoint

"Gwen?"

She turns around to find Lisa, big usual smile all over her face. Gwen can't help but to smile back.

"Hi! Anything I can help you with?"

They walk side by side down the hall after lunch. Gwen keeps feeling astonished when she find the kids acting like they are in a normal school, but then she smacks herself for still being so prejudice.

"Actually, it's more me helping you. I want to show you something that might help you with all this. Are you free tonight?"

"Yeah, sure! Are the others coming too?"

She has noticed that Lisa sticks like glue to Iantos side whenever she can. If they had been in the same class, they would have been joined at the hip, but Lisa's powers are triggered by physical pain, so her training is different.

"No, this is just for you. Don't tell them, it won't be good in a crowd. Will you met me outside the gate after dinner?"

"Ok, Sure..."

"See you then!"

She can't help but wonder what exactly it is that the other girl wants to show her.

"Probably taking you to the Rift or something...!"

"The Rift?"

Owen nods as he tries his best to turn off a computer while Tosh tries to keep as many as she can going even when they are unplugged and out of batteries.

"It's this place a few blocks down, right where the regular and irregular population of Cardiff met. You know, most of us live close to the school, sentimental reasons and all that, while the regulars try to stay as far away as possible. The Rift is what the street that divide us is called. There is a pub on the corner with the same name, though I don't know which one came first."

Gwen nods. She has heard of the Rift before, but never payed attention. Actually, she knows less then the average person about the irregulars and now she is one!

"Hey Tosh, can I use one of the computers?"

"Hm? Yeah sure! Actually, can you guys start doing things with them, I want to see how focused I can stay when they are in use?"

The others shrug and nod and soon they are typing away at three computers each, trying to distract Tosh as much as possible.

"Owen, take that down or so help me I will come over there and fry your...!"

"Ok ok! Just a joke dammit!"

The others laugh and Gwen goes back to her research. She has always been good at that, gathering information. Not like Tosh, who can hack anything, or Ianto, who simply knows, but to gather it, follow the right leads, organize it. It's a gift, though not as obvious as her other one.

At the end of the day she has a pile of papers, almost her underarm tall and she realises she has a lot of reading to do.

She brings dinner up to her room, setting the alarm and starts to sort things out. By eight in the eavning, her wallpapers are replaced with everything she has been abled to find regarding irregulars. She sits on her bed, trying to find some sort of pattern to go by, kicking a bit at the papers on the floor.

Her alarm goes off, telling her it's time to meet Lisa, so she put on her black jacket and leather boots and head down the stairs.

Jack is in the lounge with the others. Owen is flipping though the channels while Ianto is drawing up their progress in his diary. He keeps track of the weirdest things in there, but it helps when Jack has to report to the witch. Even now, Ianto is timing himself with the watch he uses, trying to become faster and more affective every time. Jack thinks it's the very inbodiement of adorkable.

"Tosh!"

"I want to see that!"

"Well I have the remote so I decide!"

"Apparently not!"

The two others snicker at the battle between channels, Owen clicking like a maniac and Tosh simply flicking her finger. The images blend like a smoothie on the screen.

"Oh stop it you two."

"Piss of Ianto!"

"Owen! Just let me watch!"

"Nuhu! We're watching wrestling!"

"Like hell we are!"

"Quit it!"

"Stop! Both of you!"

It's not Jacks usual "I've had enough, break it up" shout, or his laughing way of edging them on, but a sincere order. They both halt and even Ianto looks up as Jack trows himself from the armchair and grabs the remote. He flicks it back to the news and stare at the picture of a boy that has been missing since yesterday.

"Damn..."

He thinks of Lisa and her smooth voice, of Gwen and their little feildtrip. He thinks of the boy who's picture is on the screen and how possessively he held her that night at the fire. Suddenly, he knows.

"Gwen!"

The others watch him rush out the door, then they glance at each other and being the good little minions they are, they abandon everything and follow him.

"So, where are we going?"

It's not the Rift, that's for sure. They are out by the harbour, walking past one abandoned building after another. Lisa is still smiling, and in the dark all Gwen can see is her teeth.

"We're almost there, it's right in here!"

They go towards an old factory, closed and dark.

"Are we allowed to be here?"

Lisa turn and look at her, placing a hand on the door.

"We are allowed to do whatever we want. There are no laws for people like us, Gwen."

The door swings open, it doesn't even creek. Linda walks inside and Gwen follows even though something in her gut tells her to run away. She didn't do it last week, she sure as hell won't listen to it now.

Jack drives like a maniac. The others are used to his casual disrespect for traffic laws so they are tightly buckled in. Tosh has her mobile phone in her hand, trying her best to concentrate.

"Sorry Jack, there's a lot of people calling right now and I just have her number, I have never actually called or texted her...!"

"Just try to find where she is, it's important!"

"Why?"

Jack glances at Ianto's calm face. He hopes he's wrong, he hopes Lisa and he just have bad chemistry and that he's being paranoid, but deep down he knows he's right.

"Gwen might be in trouble."

"What makes you think that?"

He takes a deep breath. He hasn't gotten around to breaking the news of a threat from the Cybermen infiltrating other Torchwood institutes yet, but this is a good a time as any.

"I think she's being roped into joining the Cybermen."

"What?"

"Why?"

"Why her? How would they do that?"

"Her boyfriend has been kidnapped. It's an old MO with them to take a person that rejected you and then let you take out your revenge for your hurt feelings. I'm not taking any chances... The situation is delicate enough as it is!"

They nod. It's election year and a certain Harriet Jones is speaking very loudly on behalf of the irregular population, getting quite a big amount of positive feed-back. If the Cybermen where to cause panic right now, they would be back to square one in a newsflash.

"Damn fanatics are doing more damage then good... What's the point in killing everyone who's not irregular anyway? We are becoming more and more every year, just let nature take its corse...!"

"I've got her! Turn left!"

"Lisa? What is this place?"

Now she wishes she had told the others more then that she was going out for the night. This is how people are killed in those horror movies, but even knowing that Gwen keeps moving forward, following the dark girl through the even darker corridors.

"Have you ever heard of the War of Canary Wharf?"

There was something about the other girls voice that sent shivers down her spine, something dark and purring, like cat that's just caught a mouse.

"I think I've heard of it, but I can't remember..."

"You should keep track of your own history, it wasn't all that long ago."

The keep walking until they get to a door. It's a thick metal one, but Lisa opens it like it was made from cotton. On the inside is a number, and it leads into a staircase. She nods for Gwen to get inside and the Welsh girl can't help but to feel like she is forced at gunpoint.

On the way up, Lisa keeps talking.

"Tree years ago, I lived in London. It's where I met Ianto and Owen, at the Torchwood institute. It was much more effective then the one here in Cardiff, much more modern."

"Why did you leave then?"

Lisa snickers behind her and Gwen just wants to run, but she has nowhere to go so she settles for counting the numbers on the doors. Four...

"We didn't have choise. The institute was destroyed."

"What?"

"It was very hushed down, but a big building in the middle of London coming down in flames still made the news. I'm surprised you didn't know."

Now Gwen remembers, she had an article about it in her hand just an hour ago.

"Oh right! It was that incident when the undercover Daleks and a bunch of young Cybers started a riot! I remember reading about it...!"

Lisa motions for her to keep moving and Gwen passes the door with the number five on it.

"Yeah, they didn't really see eye to eye those two groups, and us poor students got caught in the middle. Out of almost three hundred students, only about seventy survived. I still have burns all down my back from it."

There is such hatred in her voice that Gwen almost feels sorry for her, but at the same time she gets more and more afraid.

"Lisa, what is this all about? Why did you take me here?"

They stop at door number six, Lisa pausing a while before opening the door.

"I brought you here because you're new. You haven't been poisoned by the Doctor and his little pets to think we should hide and cover ourselves, help the stupid little regulars to clean up their messes. You can still think for yourself. You can see the truth!"

The thought of the Doctor poisoning anyone is about the stupidest thing she has ever heard, but she keeps her trap shut for once. She has a feeling this might be important.

"What truth?"

Lisa smiles, and opens the door.

"Why are they called Cybermen anyway?"

Jack kicks the door in, hand on that thing he has tucked away in his coat for those times he has to do something dangerous.

"Because they first appeared on the net, on forums and such, trying to convert the masses. They even have Facebook."

"Wow... That is sick...!"

"That's it, I'm never getting Facebook!"

"Not all people on it are bad Ianto..."

"Don't care, never getting it."

They sneak into the big house, Tosh frowning and looking around.

"It just looks abandoned, the power is working. Most of it is up a couple of floors though...!"

"Where?"

"Emm... Four five and six I think!"

"Owen, Tosh! Fourth floor! Ianto, Fifth! We find Gwen and then we get out! Go!"

Gwen stares. She thought she'd never see him again but there he is, gaged and tied to a chair in a room surrounded by slightly insane-looking people.

"Rhys..."

He looks at her, right in the eyes, and she realises that he believes this is her doing.

"Oh my god... What is this? What are you doing to him?"

Lisa comes up beside her, still smiling.

"We are giving you what you want. This boy rejected you, now you can show him why he should be bowing at your feet! Don't you see Gwen? We're not supposed to be second class citizens! We should be like Gods!"

Something turns in her stomach, and she can't stop shaking. She has never felt less divine then now.

"So Gwen..."

She sees Lisa picking her finger with a small needle, and a cold steel blade swiftly making it's way out from her skin.

"Why don't you take your revenge? Start with him, and soon, there will be no more stupid, underdeveloped apes holding us back!"

She places the blade in Gwen's hand, shoves her towards Rhys. He recoils, presses himself back in the chair, eyes wide in fear. She has missed him so much. All she wants is for him to smile at her again.

"Take your rightful place among us, Gwen! Become the supreme being that you where born to be!"

She looks at the understanding faces around her, she thinks of her mother and how Rhys keeps trying to get further and further away, won't even trust that she is not a murdering psychopath, how many articles about violence and hatred she has found against her kind.

She grips the thin metal blade, stepping forward. She bites the inside of her cheek, steeling herself, makes her decision and with one smooth movement, she cuts.

[AN; It's so weird posting this when I'm typing out the aftermath of this little... Thing. Do you guys hate Lisa enough yet? XD Now, if this chapter does not produce reviews, I might bloody stop posting! For the love of out dead coffe-boy, COMMENT! Sorry to nag but I'm running out of ideas! Tell me your favorite canon moment and I might just twist it in there! XP]


	12. Iron

Tosh flicks on the light with a wave of her hand. She doesn't really need to gesture, but it makes concentration easier and the last thing she wants to do right now is to blow a fuse.

"Bloody hell... How many people live here?"

She doesn't answer, just feels the hairs in the back of her neck stand up straight. There's at least twenty cots in the room, covered in clothes and books and what-nots. A lot of people live here, and it looks a bit too much like military barracks for her comfort.

"Why? What are they doing? Gathering a real army?"

"Wouldn't put it past them Tosh... Cybers are a vicious breed. Anyone who don't convert to their beliefs are killed on the spot."

"It can't be that bad...!"

Owen looks around the room, then he heads back out.

"No, they are worse."

The crowd gasped, some of them stepping back in shock. Lisa stood firm but her eyes narrowed and she couldn't help but to bite her lip at the scene.

"Gwen...?"

The pale girl didn't answer, just pulled the now cut ropes from her ex, ripping off his gag and pulling him to his feet.

"What on earth do you think you're doing?"

Lisa knew that fire was not to be played with, the burns on her back was proof enough for that, but as the other girl turned to face her, she couldn't help but to feel like she had forgotten that for a moment.

"I'm getting him out of here. I'm not joining your little club, forget it!"

Still, this was one little girl and a regular confused boy against at least fifty pissed irregulars.

"Too bad. I thought we where making such good friends."

"Yeah, and then you went and threatened the man I love! You are so screwed!"

"The man you love? Even after he dumped you and jumped at the first girl in a short skirt he could get his hands on?"

She could still save this, she just had to make Gwen mad enough.

"Honestly, how did you think I lured him here?"

Gwen couldn't quite make herself turn around, couldn't look at him after that. But she saw, in the corner of her eye, how he raised his hand as if to take hers.

"Gwen... I'm so sorry...!"

Now that wouldn't do. Lisa had to keep them pinned against each other. Lucky they where such birds of a feather.

"And how can you say you love him when you jumped into bed with Owen the first chance you got? Had to be the very night he cast you off, ain't that right?"

Rhys's hand fell back again, and Gwen decided enough was enough.

"None of that matters! We are leaving and you can't stop us!"

Lisa took a step forward, digging her nails into the palms of her hands until they bleed.

"I've been at Torchwood for years, my power is to make the iron in my body into adamant steel! You're not even a week into training and you think you can beat me?"

As she spoke, scales and thorns of metal started sliding out through her skin, covering her up. Gwen only frowned.

"Yes, I think I can. Rhys!"

"Yeah?"

"Duck!"

She didn't wait, she knew he would understand, he always did. The second after she told him, she let go.

Rhys threw himself to the floor, but he still saw the blast of fire that his ex girlfriend threw out with her arms, making the circle of weirdos scream and fall back. The inferno caught hold of their clothes, their hair and everything else not completely flame-proof.

Even with the screams of horror, Rhys had to admit she looked beautiful, engulfed in flames, hair blowing in the heat, eyes shining with power.

Lisa however, was not impressed.

"You little tart!"

"Bite me, BITCH!"

With a strong blast of fire, Gwen pushed the metal covered girl back, grabbed Rhys by his jacket and dragged him along as she ran for the door.

Ianto was just stepping out from what looked like a computer station when he heard the blast. He decided telling Tosh where she needed to be could wait and swiftly made his way towards the stairs.

Jack realised he was in the wrong end of the stupid complex. Beneath him was a huge warehouse section, going down the the bottom floor. Standing out on the catwalk, he couldn't help but wonder what could possibly have needed that much space. That's when he heard the blast.

"Gwen!"

He ran though the corridor, on one hand glad that the carpet softened the stomping of his boots, on the other hand fearing the inferno it would become if it caught on fire.

Rounding a corner, he suddenly stood in front of a familiar face.

Gwen's chest was burning. Not literally, but her breathing was hard and the panic was swelling in her gut. If her heart beat any harder, it just might burst right through her ribcage.

She heard Lisa scream behind them, orders of their capture, and she dragged Rhys along. Never mind that he might hate her, never mind that he would never forgive her, she had to get him to safety, no matter what.

They took twists and turns though the corridors, the faint sounds of their pursuers never completely fading away.

"Wait Gwen!"

She was tugged back as Rhys pulled her into a side corridor.

"It says fire exit! We can climb down the fire ladder!"

She heard them around the corner, it was a matter of seconds before they caught up.

"Go! I'll draw them off!"

For a second, he held on to her hand so hard, and she desperately hoped that he wold refuse because then he would still care about her. Then, he nodded, let her go and turned away.

Biting down the fire, Gwen stepped back into the corridor and made sure the Cybers saw her before she bolted in the other direction.

"Lisa Hallett... You backstabbing bitch..."

"Language Jack, really!"

He glared at the woman. It was obvious Gwen had gotten away from her, there where burns on her clothes and her hair still had an air of smoke about it.

"See you failed to win Gwen over!"

"See you're still as possessive as ever!"

He shot out his chin, stepping closer.

"You're over, Lisa. You'll be in prison by morning, and if the police won't take you I'm sure the government would just love a chance to experiment on that armour of yours."

She glared, taking a firmer stance and letting sharp, unpleasant looking blades slide out of her palms.

"That's quite the gruesome threat, coming from a pacifist's son..."

"Yeah, he's the pacifist... I'm not. The only reason I won't kill you myself is that you haven't managed to hurt anyone yet."

She smiled, and this time Jack didn't bother fighting down that gutwrecking feeling inside.

"Now what would you know about that?"

"You haven't...!"

He was cut of by a metal blade in his gut, spikes and angles sticking out, twisting around in his stomach. Lisa pressed him up against the wall, forcing the blades all the way though until he was stuck like a parody of a painting. She leaned in, her breath hot against his ear.

"Where do you think Suzie went when she needed practise? Who do you think murdered all those people over the last two months? Can you guess, Jackie?"

He grabbed her arm, the bloodloss making him dizzy.

"You... I'll never forgive you for this!"

She snorted, stepping back. The movement of the metal objects made Jack bite down a cry of pain.

"It's too bad I can't kill you Jack... I would so have loved too."

With that, she pulled out, only to stab him again right in the chest. Convinced he wouldn't get up soon, or get the knife-like object out without pain, she let him slide down the wall and left.

Jack hated his powers sometimes. He aged, he felt, but he couldn't die. He knew he would have to survive a thousand deaths at this rate, and he would hurt right to the breaking point each time, but he would never be released. Not only that, but the healing always hurt more then getting the wounds in the first place. The Doctor said it was because the nerves were reconnecting and the brain had to try them out. Jack didn't care, he just wanted it to stop.

This time though, something was different. Maybe it was because of the dream, he still had a feeling it had something to do with what Donna had said. Whatever the reason, this time, right at the point where he knew normal people died, there was a blinding light. Not like in those cheesy movies, the light at the end of the tunnel, not like that.

It was the sun, blazing and burning, filling him with something more powerful then fire, something un-earthly and everlasting. It hurt, more then the wounds, and in that blinding light, he saw a face, a soft, kind, terrible face with burning eyes and flaming hair. Then, it was gone, and he was pulled back again.

"Jack?"

He breathed, forced air into his still shredded lungs. The more he got working, the faster and more accurate the healing would get.

"Jack? Are you alright?"

"Ianto..."

He didn't smile. That's what gave it away. Ianto always smiled when Jack came back, every time. Not now though, he looked worse off then Jack felt.

"Oh no..."

"Jack?"

"How much... Did you hear...?"

Ianto didn't even try to hide. His face cracked and the pain made Jack wish he could go back to that burning place again, anything would be better than Ianto making that face.

"Enough..."

He got up, feeling his guts slowly mend itself together again. Ianto tried to hold him down but Jack just pulled him in, holding him tight, never minding that the fabric of their clothes stung like salt against the edges of the wounds.

"I'm so sorry Ianto... I never wanted this, please believe me. I never liked her but I never thought it was this bad... Oh Ianto.."

The other boy buried his face against the old coat. He remembered the day Jack had gotten it. He had been so proud, even though it had been inches to long and he'd had to roll up the sleeves. He tried to focus on that, not to think of the images, the feelings, the memories he had gotten when he had pulled out the knife.

"Jack... I can't..."

He knew, he didn't have to ask.

"I know... But I have too. You don't but I do. It's my duty, it's what I do."

Ianto let his arms slide down, slowly sitting up again. Then his hands touched a bulk under the long coat.

"Jack... What is that?"

Jack looked down to where the welsh boys hand where, a faint blush on his cheeks.

"Oh... I'm sorry... I should have told you..."

Ianto pulled back the blue fabric, looking at the hard object.

"I don't believe this...!"

"I'm sorry Ianto, but I'll have to use it."

Ianto let his fingers run down the length of the gun, feeling its history and its purpose float though his mind.

"Just promise me... Promise me Jack...!"

Jack grabbed his face, much like the Doctor had a long, long time ago and pressed their foreheads together. He caught Iantos eyes and looked straight in them, trying to put everything he was into his words.

"I promise, I'll make it quick. I swear to you, she won't suffer. I promise Ianto, for your sake, she won't feel a thing."

Then he leaned forward and pressed a kiss into Iantos dark hair, trying to give him as mush comfort he could before pushing himself up and running after the dark traitor.

Ianto sobbed, sitting himself with his back against the wall. It seemed so useless now, this power of his. He couldn't save Suzie, he couldn't save Lisa, he couldn't help Gwen or Jack or anyone. He had never felt like such a waste of space as now.

And still, Jack didn't think it was his fault. He didn't think that there was anything Ianto could have done to stop this. There was not a bad thought in Jacks mind about him, nothing at all.

Ianto wiped his tears and let the back of his head rest against the cool concrete.

Not a single bad thought, even though there was plenty about him that annoyed Jack. He hated the way Ianto would scold him and the fact that the american was still half an inch shorter than his friend. He was annoyed every time Ianto didn't take his side and even told him off. Worst thing he knew was when Ianto would favour someone else instead of Jack.

All of that, and still there was no ill-will at all in Jack's mind when it came to Ianto. Not a single drop.

Ianto closed his eyes, feeling as smile spread over his lips, despite the situation. Or maybe because of it.

Sure, he loved Lisa, and seeing her like that had broken his heart, but he had realised something right at that moment when he thought Jack was aiming that kiss somewhere else.

He had loved Jack ever since the first time he hugged him. It had just taken so long, and so many other touches before he recognised that feeling.

He had loved him for a long time, and he would probably never stop.

Ianto told himself to get a grip, stop being such a whiner and then he got up and ran after the most important person in his life.

[You all think it's going to be alright now, don't you? Oh you have no idea...! XD]


	13. Hellfire

There is so much noise now that Jack is sure someone's called the police. Never mind that they're out in the middle of nowhere, there's always people around places like this. Just see how full this house turned out to be.

There's running and shouting and for a moment he worries about his team, but then he shakes it off. He trusts them, with his life and theirs, and he knows they won't ever fail him. He is so proud of them it's almost obscene.

Lisa turns out to be easy to track. Hardly a game really, with her dripping his blood all over the place, he just follows the trail. He knows he's only got one shot, because she's fast and apparently she has little or no remorse. He'd rather not die any more tonight.

The trail leads back to the huge room, the one going through all floors. He follows it out on the catwalk, only to find it come to a sudden halt. He feels his gut sink, glancing over the edges, finding nothing. Only one explanation then.

"How thick you must feel, to fall for a trap like that!"

She is a dark silhouette against the lights from the corridors, her shadow melting into the darkness of the huge chamber. He dosen't turn to look at her, simply grips his gun slowly.

"Gotcha now, Harkness!"

"In your dreams!"

He turns, and he fires. Empties the gun against her dark shape. He can only hope he caught her by surprise.

She tumbles, falls and catches on to the rail with one hand. Then she curses and pulls herself up. He feels his heart sink. This might get difficult.

"You bastard…!"

He doesn't answer, just tries to think something out. He can't let her leave. He won't let her.

"More then I can say for you… Your dead."

Lisa simply pulls a bullet from the armour over her eyebrow, flicking it over the edge.

"Oh really? How do you figure that?"

He glares at her. He knows he's not really good at glaring and he sort of wishes the Doctor was here because his mean-face could scare a statue into crying. Still, Jack makes due.

"You hurt Ianto. You threatened Gwen. You're over and done, I'll never let you live this down!"

She snorts, her teeth gleaming white against her dark skin.

"You are ever so possessive about your harem, ain't you? To bad you're never seeing them again!"

"You can't kill me, remember?"

Lisa smiles, a wicked, cruel grin that sends chills down Jack's spine. She raises her arm, letting long, lethal blades slide out.

"Oh Jack, there are worse things in life then dying…"

He jumps, but she's faster then him. Before he can duck, one blade has cut him straight through the stomach, almost separating his legs from his body. Another one has cut the catwalk like a hot knife through butter, leaving him with nothing to stand on.

Falling through the dark, he tries to pass out because the impact with the ground won't kill him. He'll just wish it could.

Lisa watches him fall, her feelings of triumph almost blocking out the sound behind her. In the last possible moment, she ducks, raising her shield against the wave of flames crashing down on her. Rolling further out on the catwalk, she blocks blast after blast until finally, Gwen's out of breath.

They glare at each other from either side of the thin metal construction hanging a few good hundred feet in the air. Gwen holds on to the start of the rail with shaking hands. She knows Jack can heal most things but that looked serious and she's still not entirely sure he'll live. She's so close to loosing control, a control she was just barely grasping to begin with.

Lisa frowns and stands again, making sure she still has a pice of the cut path behind her. Then she smiles again. The little welsh girl is trembling, she's never seen this level of horror in real life. Lisa on the other hand, has not only seen it, but also caused her fair share of it. This battle is done, but not before she can break this nosy little tart completely.

"There you are. Your little boyfriend was looking for you. I told him I'd take care of you."

"What…?"

Gwen's voice breaks with fear. Rhys isn't here, he left, got out the fire escape.

"Oh, you didn't know he came back for you? Such a sweetheart he was… Didn't put up much of a fight though… Just begged for his life at the end, really."

She grins at the pale girl, watching her hold on to the rail like it's the only thing keeping her from total collapse. How easy humans are to break, given the right leverage.

"You… No… Rhys… he can't be…!"

"But he is!"

There is an odd squeak as Gwen grips the rail so tight her hand almost breaks. She drags herself up and the look in her eyes makes Lisa talk half a step back. She's playing with fire again, and fire is unpredictable.

"You're dead…"

She barks a short laugh at the long haired girl, letting the metal cover her completely.

"Gwenny… You forget. You can't burn metal!"

It's warm. She feels it now, the heat sucking the oxygen from the air. Pearls of sweat run down from her hair. Gwen pierces her with her eyes, and suddenly, Lisa is very afraid.

"Maybe not… But metal still melts…"

There is no scream from her, no movement. Just a wave of fire so hot is feels like being dipped in ice water. Lisa can't even gasp before her lungs are burned to crisp, her armour plates melting into what's left of the catwalk when she is forced down by the power. In a flash, she is gone.

Gwen's brain is in overload. She has reached the point where she hurt so much she can't take it anymore. She is in a vacuum, an empty space where she can't feel anything at all. For a few precious, burning seconds, it's wonderful.

Then she feels the crushing grip on her arm, hear her name called over the raging inferno around her. She turns to find someone beside her, someone screaming her name and shaking her arm to bring her back from the deepest part of her soul.

"Ianto?"

And just like that, the fire's gone.

Without the power to hold her up, Gwen simply falls into the other boys arms. She is a bit confused over the fact that he's not hurt, since everything else in range is burnt and bent beyond recognition. Still, she is to tired to ask.

"Gwen? Are you alright? Can you hear me Gwen?"

She nods, tries to breathe but she's not sure she remembers how.

Suddenly there is the loud noise of running in the doorway behind them and Ianto panics cause Gwen is practically catatonic and his powers are pretty useless in a fight. He sighs in relief when he sees Tosh rounding the corner, swiftly followed by Owen. He briefly wonders where Jack is, but then Owen is kneeling by his side, taking Gwen's pulse.

"Shit… She's in shock! Gwen! Look at me sweetheart!"

Ianto feels Tosh's small, surprisingly strong hands on his shoulders and he allows himself to breathe a bit. He manoeuvres Gwen's body so Owen can check her breathing when she jerks. She grabs Owens arm and chokes out.

"Jack! He fell… It looked bad…!"

"He'll be fine Gwen just…"

"No! Please make sure he's not…!"

"Ok! I'll check up on him just calm down!"

Ianto can't help but worry too. Jack has such a neck for getting in trouble. He would be dead a thousand times over if not for his powers. It's always such a relief to see him come back because Ianto still fears that one day the idiots luck will run out.

"Holy fucking shit…!"

The panic's rising again because Owen never lets anyone know he worries about Jack. That he cares at all in fact, so him cursing now must mean it's bad.

"I… I should get down there! I mean, he's been trough worse but that don't look to good! Stay with Gwen, make sure she doesn't start hyperventilating… I'll just… Shit!"

Then he's off and Ianto really wants to look over the rail but then again he's very relived that he has Gwen in his arms because that's the perfect excuse not too. Tosh sits down next to him, taking a bit of the other girls weight off him.

"How are you Ianto?"

He can't stop himself. He glances over at the burnt, twisted, still smoking form at the end of the catwalk and something in his throat swells until he can't breathe.

"Not sure… Right now…"

She follows his eyes, realises what has happened and she makes a noise somewhere between choking and sobbing. She quickly turns away and starts to pull Gwen away, towards the wall. He follows her example, thankful she's there or he might have broken down by now.

Owen slides down on his knees, trying not to look to closely at the gaping hole in his friends side where half his guts are threatening to spill out. He tears off his glove even though the fingers are cut off. It works better with his palm anyway and Jacks eyes are so big and empty and when Owen leans in he realises the back of his skull is crushed into the pavement. He shudders and places his hand against Jack's neck, waiting.

He knows by experience that the worse Jack's injured, the warmer his body gets when he's healing. First he goes cold, like all other corpses, then there is a burst of heat before he jerks back to life. Owen presses his palm down, waiting for what seems like an eternity, fearing this might be it, the end of this infuriating git. Then, there is a pulse, and the pale skin gets so hot Owen almost pulls his hand back and then he remembers the skull and just before Jack jumpstarts again, he grabs the Americans head and holds it still.

Jack gasps, filling his lungs desperately as his brain craves new oxygen. He twists, trying to take in his surroundings but Owen holds his head down.

"Jack! Don't move! You cracked your skull like an egg and if you move you'll die all over again! I'll help you fix it but you have to stay still, ok?"

There is always a hint of panic in Jacks eyes when he comes back, and Owen can't blame him. Death must be scary, no matter how many times you try it.

"Don't worry, everyone's fine! Ianto and Tosh are taking care of Gwen, you're the only one injured, and I think that noise is our troops breaking down the door to snuff out this little cyber-gathering for good. So just stay put and try to relax!"

Jack can hear it too now, the loud voices ringing every bell in his mind. His eyes aren't working, but with the back of his head the state of scrambled eggs, it's not really a surprise. He tries to make his mouth work and with a bit of willpower, he gets the words out.

"Owen… Please…"

His friend looks down at him, understands and gently searches his neck for the right pressure point, the one that makes Jacks eyes roll back and gives him twenty minutes of unconsciousness so he doesn't have to suffer the pain of being dead twice over. Then he sits back, letting his power mend the torn body on the floor, waiting for the cavalry to arrive.

[You all think we'r closing this show down but we'r not even half way done yet! Trust me, it gets worse!]


	14. Dawn

Yvonne Hartman is nothing if not effective. It takes her less than ten minutes to have the entire area under control, every person in it either restrained, receiving medical attention or being stuffed into a bag. Coming morning, there will be no trace of the Cybermen to be found and Torchwood will never be linked to the location. She didn't even have to leave her office to do it.

The news that Lisa was lying and that they found Rhys a block away trying to call the police makes Gwen infinitely easier to handle. She is just calming down when a bloke in a black leather suit materializes from thin air before her. She shrieks and Ianto curses, which makes everyone in earshot look at him oddly.

The bloke then removes his mask from his very young (almost juvenile) face and introduces himself as Jake and asks her to just hold on to him and he'll take her downstairs. She does and the world flashes and then she's on the bottom floor, still a bit shocked.

Jake asks her to wait two seconds and in that exact time he fetches Ianto to take her outside. He smiles as he points them in the right direction and then he's gone, teleported up to where they are trying to separate what's left of Lisa from the architecture.

They pass the place where Jack fell on the way out, and Gwen stops for a second when she sees Martha giving the boy the kiss of life in a very not-lifesaving way. She glances at Ianto who calmly (too calmly, he's more shaken and upset than she is) explains that Martha is also a healer, but unlike Owen who only needs skin contact, Martha needs to inject her body fluids into the person she's trying to save. Anything will do, but she usually settles for just plain kissing. It's easiest.

It's five thirty in the morning before Jake hands Martha the last report and slumps down against her desk with a huff.

She smiles and hands him a cup of coffee. He grins in response and sips it before asking.

"Is there a reason I'm not invited yet?"

Martha sighs, filing away the report.

"Mostly because we haven't set a date yet. There's a lot to do right now and you know how busy he is, even if he is in another unit than you."

"Yeah I know. I only see him like once a week and he always looks stressed. It's a shame really…"

"Mh… But we have time. Or we'll get time, eventually!"

They laugh quietly, both feeling tired but not willing to go to bed yet. They hardly see each other and Martha decides she really shouldn't put this off any more.

"Hey Jake…"

"Mh?"

"I was cleaning out the house last week, and I found a box with some of Rick's old stuff…"

"Oh. You want me to come get it? I could pop over"

"It's no rush really, take your time."

Jake is twisting his cup in his hands and Martha can't think of anything to say. It's been a year, but it's so hard on him and she didn't lose her man, but Jake lost one very much like him.

"Anyway. I noticed the corner was all torn, so I figured I should move it to a new box… And I found something…"

She goes in her desk drawer, still not sure she should do this but she knows he deserves to have it. Jake puts down his cup and takes the small square box from her. He turns it over in his hands, opening it. He stares blankly at the little piece of jewellery in it, then snaps it shut and fists his hand around it, biting back a sob.

Martha stands as he hides his face in his hands, trying not to cry. Jake has always been such a strong boy, but he cries so easily. It was that one thing that always made him sure Rick was just putting up with him. She wraps her arms around him, feeling the paddings of his uniform.

"I know you always believed that Rick was just going along with it because he didn't want to break your heart, but that's not it. He did care for you, so much. Jake… He loved you. And if you don't believe me, check the engraving."

He shudders against her shoulder, if it's a laugh or a sob, Martha has no idea. She wobbles him back and forth until he stands up, taking a deep breath and runs his free hand through that mess of blond hair on top of his head. Then he smiles at her, weakly but sincere.

"Thanks… For everything. You guys have been so great, really!"

She kisses his cheek, tugging a bit at his ear.

"You know, Micky does see you as his brother. Or at least his brother-in-law. You're family, and we love you very much."

Jake nods, putting the small box in his pocket.

"I'll come pick up that box later… Maybe this weekend. We could have tea or something…"

"Yeah. Call first ok?"

"Ok. I'll say hi to Micky if I see him!"

"Do that. And call if you need to talk."

"Will do Martha! I'll leave you to your patient now."

A quick smile and he's gone. She knows he's going to spend the rest of the night crying but at least she has given him something to believe in. She wishes Rick had managed to give him that ring in person but life is cruel sometimes.

Sighing deeply, she walks out of her office, taking in the scene around the only occupied bed. Deeming him safe for the night, she sneaks out to go to bed.

Jack has been awake for a couple of minutes, and his team has managed to calm down enough not to throttle him for scaring them. Ianto hasn't let go of his hand.

"Guys, I'm fine. You should go to bed…"

"Yeah, 'cause we can sleep after all this! Bloody shut up already, you wanker…!"

"I love you too Owen."

The English boy shudders at the very un-hetro way Jack says it and the others laugh. Ianto can't help but to run his fingers over Jack's knuckles and he bites down a grin when the hand turns and laces their fingers together. Jack, the stupid git, doesn't even notice what he's doing of course, but Ianto forgives him for that. Ianto forgives him for everything he does.

"But really, Yvonne is not going to cancel class just because we took on a bunch of Cybers! She won't even let me sleep in. Off to bed you lot, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Who died and made you boss, eh?"

"Yeah Jack! You can't order us around outside of school!"

"And you are the youngest person in the room."

They all turn to look at Ianto on the other side of the bed, Jack glaring daggers at him. Ianto just smirks.

"Now wait a minute…"

Gwen points around, as if to help her count.

"Me and Tosh are seventeen… You guys are eighteen…"

"And Jack's sixteen. His birthday was two months ago."

"You promised you wouldn't tell!"

"No, you told me to promise but I didn't."

"Ianto…!"

"You're sixteen? You're the youngest of us?"

"Not so damn loud, this is the hospital-wing Gwen!"

"How on earth do you get to teach us when you're younger?"

"I'v been at Torchwood for ten years, that's why!"

"And he was raised by me. Apparently that counts for a lot."

They go very quiet as they stare at the man in the suit, leaning against the doorway. The Doctor smiles his usual smile and walks in with his hands still in his pockets. Jack pushes himself up in the bed and in doing that he lets go of Ianto's hand, and Ianto can't help but to feel rejected for it.

"Doc! I thought you were on the other side of the world by now!"

"Well, you did happened to stumble upon the same group of Cybers we've been chasing, so I thought I'd come by and thank you."

The Doctor sits down on the edge of the bed and smiles gently at the teenagers before asking in a very suggestive tone.

"Don't you lot have school in the morning?"

It's hard not to take the hint and they quickly stutter their good nights and Ianto, who is the last to leave, leans over and kisses Jack's temple before disappearing after the others. He really wants to tell him as soon as possible, but it's been a long night.

He can tell him tomorrow.

Once they are alone, Jack wonders slightly why he's not panicking as much as he usually does but before he can think more about it the Doctor sits up straighter.

"How are you doing Jack?"

He smiles, feeling ten times better as the man in the suit smiles back.

"I should be fully healed in an hour or so. Nothing hurts anymore, but my head is still a bit sore…"

His foster father hops closer, taking Jack's head in his hands and bends him forward. He gently runs his fingers through the short hair, feeling for any kind of lump or sign that it's not healing right.

Jack leans his forehead against the brown suit, wondering why his heart isn't racing like it usually does.

"It looks alright… A bit swollen but I guess one could expect that. How's the stomach?"

As he watches those familiar hands examine the scar that's already fading from his middle, Jack can't help but feel like he's missing something. Something important.

"Well, that's healing just perfectly. No worries there."

The Doctor sits up and straightens out the suit before taking a deep breath and patting Jack's arm.

"I do hate to ask this of you, especially since you've had such a rough night, but I need your help."

He hasn't said that to Jack since Jack blurted out that quite uncomfortable little thing, and he almost leaps with joy. Trying not to grin like and idiot (and only half succeeding) he asks.

"When are we leaving?"

The Doctor glances over at the clock on the wall and sighs.

"In five minutes."

Jack is lost for a moment. Part of him wants to just leap out of bed and pull on his clothes but part of him is still missing something, that very important something.

"Are you coming, Jack?"

He fists the sheet in his hands, and makes his decision.

Ianto pokes his head into the hospital-wing just hours later, finding only a clean bed and not a soul in sight. Finding that Martha's not in her office, he goes through the dinning hall, just in case he passed Jack on the way. He finds no American, but the does find the school doctor.

"Doctor Jones, have you seen Jack? I can't find him."

She looks up from her bowl of cereals and wipes her mouth before answering.

"Oh, Ianto? Didn't you hear? He left with the Doctor around six this morning."

Suddenly, Ianto goes cold.

"He left? Do you know when he'll be back?"

"Not sure. I heard something about L.A, but I honestly have no idea."

He tries not to break, tries not feel abandoned. Jack has just run off with the man he's had a crush on since he discovered hormones, not even a goodbye to the rest of them. It's really not a big deal.

Martha takes one more look at him, then stands up and wraps her arms around him. He doesn't cry, but somehow it feels like he should.

[AN; See, I told you! Review or I might not bring him back! XD]


	15. Memorial

They always sat in Jack's room. Partially because no one came to throw them out while they were there, partially because he left it unlocked when he disappeared and this was divine punishment.

Mostly because they desperately hoped that one night he would throw open the door and ask them what the hell they were doing in there.

Tonight was no different. They sipped bottles of beer, laughed and joked and suddenly, Gwen was telling them about the night in the warehouse. Not the cyber-warehouse, they all remembered that, but the other one.

She told them about how she had seen Jack's coat (Ianto had smiled to himself, he thought he was discrete but they all knew by now) and how she had been unable to stop herself.

She told them about Suzie. It was hard, and she couldn't look any of them in the eye but she knew they wanted to hear it, so she told them everything.

When she was done, Ianto sipped his own beer and told them when he first met Jack. He told it in a way that made Gwen understand that the others hadn't heard this story either. He told it in a way that made all three of them realise how long, and how deeply Ianto loved the stupid American. Saddest part of the whole story, really.

When he grew silent, Gwen glanced at Tosh and Owen. She opened her mouth, but then she bit her lip, turning away.

"You can ask you know…"

She carefully looked up at Owen. He was looking right back, almost glaring. She couldn't think of anything to say and the seconds stretched out, long and awkward.

"I always had my gift."

Tosh sounded almost happy, like she always did when she came close to the origin of her powers. Now she smiled and leaned back, playing with the bottle.

"I had mine growing up, don't remember ever getting it, it was always there. My parents where thrilled, called me their little genius and let me help them out in their work."

"What did they do?"

Tosh looked up, still a huge honest smile all over her face.

"Oh, they where anti-government terrorists."

All Gwen managed to choke out around the big ball of shock in her throat was a tiny, questioning noise. Tosh crooked her head to the side in understanding and kept going.

"They always had me hacking into secret files and building dangerous things. I never thought that I did anything wrong, my parents always told me the government was evil and needed to be destroyed. I never really knew I was hurting people."

Gwen started to understand why the other girl was so firmly declining the position at the Pentagon. What she didn't understand was how Tosh could tell them this with a smile on her face.

"I was thirteen when we were captured. Mom and Dad were taken away, I haven't seen them since. I was kept at a base somewhere, I still don't know. Not where I was or how Torchwood found me but three years ago, the door to my cell opened, and there was Jack."

The asian scotched over a bit, taking another sip and kept talking out into the silent air.

"He was the first person I saw for almost a year… And I have to admit, that was not a bad first sight."

She winked at Ianto, who didn't even bother to hide his blush.

"He offered me a position at Torchwood and I figured it would be better than that hole in the concrete wall where I had just spent ten months… And here I am."

Gwen didn't know if she should, didn't know if she would break that pearly smile if she did, but somehow, not even that threat could stop her.

"What about your parents?"

Tosh looked at her, and for a moment the mask slipped, the smile dimming a bit. Then is was back with reinforcements.

"I send my mom postcards once a week."

Gwen didn't dare ask about her dad, even she had a limit.

It was quiet for a long time, Ianto getting them all another round from the box on the bed. Then Owen spoke, quietly, like his words were the frailest glass.

"I had a girlfriend."

It was like everyone in the room was holding their breaths. Owen was the one that never referred to anything before Torchwood. Before Cardiff in general, he just avoided the subject as much as he could. He never spoke of his family or his past. He wanted to keep it there, firmly buried behind him. He didn't even want to speak about the little thing he'd had with Gwen the first week.

"She died when I was fifteen."

It was so bloody obvious that he had never told this story before, that he was still contemplating whether he should or not, but he still kept going.

"She had cancer… A huge tumour right here."

He pointed at his skull with the expertise of a medical trainee, the suffering knowledge of someone left behind.

"It effected her memory… Some days where good! She was all smiles and joy and I really thought she was gonna make it. Then, there was the bad days…"

He choked, took a shaky breath and a large sip.

"Those days she couldn't remember my name…"

No one made a sound, not a single one, but the silence was so filled with sorrow that you could almost cut it.

"They tried operating, but there were complications. Bad complications. It was a shoot in the dark and it missed."

Owen pulled his features back, arranged his cool, aloof facade and Gwen knew this was the last time they would ever see his real face.

"She died just hours afterwards, she just stopped breathing. I was there, by her bedside… I don't remember what happened after that. Next thing I know I'm waking up to find Jack staring down at me… It's morning and I'm in a hospital bed. He tells me I'm the only patient for the moment, since everyone in the whole damn building, even the ones with no hope at all, just jumped out of bed feeling better than ever."

Owen takes another sip, sliding down a bit against the bedside.

"Everyone, in the whole damn building, except for her."

Gwen closes her eyes, hard, biting her lip as two tears slowly run down her cheeks.

"Then, the stupid git gets me into Torchwood, London department and then just a few months after, it blows sky high. End of story…"

Gwen wants to object that that's hardly the end but the Battle for Canary Wharf is still close and hurtful for the two boys and she lets it go.

Ianto sighs and picks up the empty bottles in the middle.

"He's the one that brought us all here, and now he's disappeared. It hardly seems fair…"

The last word stings, because it's dipped in salty tears and heartbreak, so much that Owen doesn't even call him on it, just downs the last sip and stands up.

They help Ianto clean up, take the box of now empty bottles and leave the welsh boy to straighten out the carpet and the bed, like he always does. They close the door and they know it will be a long while before he comes out, but they don't know what else to do.

Owen throws his clothes in a pile on the floor, curling up in a corner of his bed, trying not to remember.

Tosh blinks to make her lights go out. She has several, a whole christmas trees worth and she blinks once for every one. By the time she's done, her tears have run out.

Gwen texts Rhys, telling him she loves him and that they are still on for a date after school tomorrow, then she lies awake for hours, staring at the time passing before her eyes.

Ianto closes Jack's door, then goes into his own room next to it. He hangs up his clothes, drinks a glass of water and crosses another day off in his calendar. It's almost a full year now, and it still hurts. Not so much that he's gone, as the fact that he's not called, or sent a postcard or even a single greeting in the reports that he knows the Doctor sends the school.

Ianto sighs, runs his thumb over the picture frame on his desk, the one with the group photo, and then he turns out his lights and goes to sleep, dreaming of a warm hand holding his.

Jack is pretty sure he should be dead. His lungs hurts like crazy and his body is so tired, but there is a mad joy in him when he feels oxygen returning to his brain, the cold, rough concrete under his hands.

Hands, strong, familiar, bony hands grip him and pull him from the cold water, presses him up against a heaving chest and the wet fabric of a suit. Jack tries to breathe normally, tries not to laugh because if he does, he'll faint. He leans against the Doctor who leans against the wall, watching the noble Valiant sink into the dark water, flames licking the dark, starry sky.

They're alive, both of them, and that's more than they thought just an hour ago. Jack snickers into the brown stripes, pressing his ear up against the thumping heart. There's a hand stroking his neck, just where the hairline ends. He is six years old again, and every day is an adventure.

"I do love you, Jack. I really do."

He almost sits up, almost looks up at the ancient eyes above him.

"… Just not the way you want me too…"

Jack smiles. He knows now, what he should have figured out years ago. The Doctor will always love him, just like he loves everyone else. True, some people are special, one in a thousand, are really special. Not that it makes much of a difference, he remembers everyone. Every last person he has ever met, he loved and remembered. Jack knows that.

He has also recently (and horribly late to boot) figured out why he's been feeling like he's a complete idiot for months now.

"Dad…"

He feels the other man stiffen, feels his surprise and he can barely keep himself from laughing.

"I need to go home."

The hand on his neck slides down to his shoulder, gripping it tight. Jack pushes himself up a bit, resting his cheek against his fathers shoulder. He smiles at the Doctors slightly baffled face and tries not to sound like a teenage girl when he says.

"There is someone I need to see…"

Of course he fails because the Doctor gives him a knowing smirk, chuckling softly.

"Alright, I get it. Next stop, Cardiff."

[AN; I kidd... But reviews are still nice and I am a bit at a loss of what to fill the rest of the story with. It has plot, but it needs fluff! Favorite canon moments?]


	16. Prodigal son

Gwen was glad this school did not have gym-class. If it did, all the students would be dead tired.

Instead of gym, they had power-exercise, or in this case, catch the slimy Dalek-infiltrator before he had a chance to contact his allies.

She and Ianto where the ones cornering him, knowing every backstreet and ally-way for miles. Tosh and Owen just hung half a step behind them, waiting for their turn.

The boy was the skinny, rat like sort. Shady eyes and hair in that colour that you couldn't really put name on. People might call it dark blond, but that was just flattering to the point of lying. And he was fast. Three blocks and they just couldn't gain an inch on him.

"Take left!"

She had no idea what Ianto was planing but she had blindly jumped of a cliff into the dark at his advice before and she was not going to stop trusting him now. She took left and Owen followed.

Part of her loved this. The rush, the adrenaline, the hunt. She was signing up for the police force. By the time she was done at Torchwood she would go straight to the academy. She would do this forever. Damn that was a happy feeling.

Suddenly, the Dalek boy rounded the corner in front of her, looking a bit more then startled when he saw her. Turning around, he found Ianto and Tosh coming from the other end.

In panic he looked around, finding a small gap between two houses and with a grin he tossed himself in.

"Ianto! He's still getting away!"

"No he's not!"

They pressed into the gap, Gwen first, followed by the still mumbling Owen. It was just wide enough for them to pass and it was littered with trash.

Out on the other side there was a streetlight, and for a moment it's hard yellow light blinded Gwen. Before she could get herself together, a surprisingly strong hand grabbed her arm and she was pulled stumbling away.

"I'll kill her! I swear to god I'll put a bullet in her head if you don't back off!"

Gwen cursed under her breath, feeling the cold pipe against her jaw. They had cornered him. The only way out of the backyard where they had ended up seemed to be locked doors. Part from the one light, it was mostly dark, shadows hooping in every corner.

The others stopped, but they didn't back off, just fanned out to present less of a target.

"I'm warning you!"

"Oh come on…!"

Gwen glared at Owen, trying to get him to shut up. He was not what she wanted in the ways of a negotiator.

"You might be a traitor and a skumbag, but you're no killer…!"

He seemed to be the only one completely convinced of that.

"That's the beauty of it mate."

They boy was shaking, but not from fear. He was feeling the adrenaline too, trembling with excitement.

"I kill one of you freaks, and it's like putting down a rabid dog! It's fucking community service!"

They all glared at him but even if it hurt, they knew he was telling the truth. Not much had changed, even with Harriet Jones as Prime Minister. Laws could be re-written but so far the rest of the government had yet to budge. She had lowered the taxes though, that was something.

"So back off freaks… You're gonna let me go!"

"Not a chance in hell! Take him down!"

"Shut up bitch!"

Gwen did bite her tongue, but only because they needed him alive. In any other case, she would have fried him by now. That, and even a dork like him couldn't miss at this range.

"Now, just calm down… Put the gun down and we'll let you pass…"

"What?"

"No way Ianto!"

"We're not risking Gwens life over this!"

"I ain't dropping the only thing keeping you freaks off me!"

"Don't let him go!"

"Shut up Gwen!"

"Back away now!"

The situation had gotten out of hand. Whatever chance they'd ever had of saving it was gone now. It was chaos and people shouting and Gwen felt the panic rise in her gut as the hand on her arm clamped down harder.

"I'LL BLOW HER BRAINS OUT! YOU HEAR ME? I'LL KILL HER!"

The shot echoed between the walls and for a heartbeat, everyone was frozen in fear. Then the ratty guy swore and fell to his side, blood squirting out from a wound on his leg.

"Wow! Talk about timing ey?"

They still slightly shocked irregulars turned around to the figure walking out of the shadows, smoking gun still aimed at the Dalek.

"I'm guessing the reason Gwen didn't barbeque him is because we want him alive?"

Same stupid grin, same stupid haircut, same stupid coat. Ianto had to bite the inside of his cheek hard not to fling himself at him.

"So…"

Shrugging in his usual manor, Jack grinned at them and asked like he had been away just for five minutes.

"Did you guys miss me?"

Nobody really blamed Gwen for breaking his nose.

"It was really uncalled for…"

They sank down in one of the booths at the Rift. Friday night and the place was full, but there was always a quiet corner where you could hide in a place like this.

"You left us Jack…! You abandoned us!"

"No I didn't!"

Gwen glared and gulped down half her beer in a way that shouldn't seem threatening but it still did. Tosh handed Jack another paper napkin, since the one he had pressed to his nose now was more red then white.

"You did. We didn't hear from you for months, we didn't even know where you were, if you were even alive."

"The Doctor needed my help! What was I supposed to do?"

"Call!"

"Send a post card!"

"Say good-bye."

There was that little thing that Ianto had started doing over the past year. He'd say something, very quiet and calm and everyone would just stop shouting. Jack twisted in his seat, crumbling up the napkin and looking everywhere but at his team mates.

"I was… A bit tied up…"

"For an entire year?"

All he did was shrug. He didn't want to tell them about what he had been through on the Valiant. He didn't want to tell them how cruel and horrible the world really was. He could stand being a dickhead in their eyes as long as they didn't have to know what monsters humans could be.

"Are you going back to him? When he leaves will you leave with him?"

There was something in Ianto's voice that Jack didn't know if he loved or hated. It was a hurt, possessive tone that could mean Jack was a shit piece of friend or it could be something else. Jack hoped for something else.

"I came back for you!"

They looked each other in the eye, for the first time for months and it felt like when Ianto used his powers, like he was stripped naked, nothing to hide. Jack looked away.

"For all of you…!"

It wasn't a lie, he did come back for his friends. Just a little bit more for one than the others. They didn't need to know that though.

Everyone sighed and leaned back. Jack did look tired, he did look like he had been dragged back and forth through hell and he had run out into the night to find them instead of just waiting back at the institute. He had come home, even if he was an ass for leaving in the first place.

Gwen downed the rest of her drink and stood. Jack gently took her wrist and started getting up too.

"I'll get the next round Gwen, least I can do…"

"Oh, I'm leaving."

"Come on, you can't be that mad!"

"Yes Jack, I can! And even if I wasn't, I'd still leave!"

"Why?"

"'Cause Rhys is waiting, now let go!"

Jack sat down again, mild shock on his face.

"You got back together?"

Gwen grinned and held out her left hand to him. The others snickered at Jacks face when he saw the size of the stone. He took her fingers, like he had to feel it to believe it.

"Oh Gwen that's amazing!"

"I know!"

She squished his fingers back before letting go.

"Ok, You have a nice evening then! See you tomorrow!"

"Don't count on it!"

Then she was gone, crossing the packed floor like a queen through a ballroom.

"How did they manage that?"

Tosh raised her eyebrows and looked at Owen, who shrugged and looked at Ianto who looked away and sipped his beer.

"Ok? Ianto?"

The welshman put down his glass and turned it back and forth on the wooden table, looking just a little bit like a boy who had been caught with his hand in a cookie jar.

"I had to try…"

[The lack of reviews has given me writers-block. You only get this chapter because I wrote it beforehand. No IAW either. *pouts*]


	17. Oncoming storm

Ianto stood outside the door for at least ten minutes.

He was still not sure he should do this, but Gwen had been lying in bed since Jack left last week and it was only through joined powers they had gotten her down the stairs today.

Ianto didn't really feel ready to face the world either, but he had spent a month of his life locked in his room before and he knew better than most that you need to face your fears to make them go away.

He took a deep breath, lifted his hand, and gently tapped the door. There was no way anyone heard that lame knock and he sighed. This was so damn hard.

The thing was, reading memories was something he did naturally, but what he was going to do now was very much against his nature.

He was going to force someone else into his own position.

Well, not force, not completely, but it was a close call and it was enough to turn his insides around.

Lisa was still a big open wound on his heart, and the fact that Jack had been gone for days didn't help. Under normal circumstances he wouldn't even attempt to try this in his current emotional state, but the fresher the memories, the clearer. And he needed to be clear now.

He knocked, four times and stepped back, waiting.

"Yeah?"

"Rhys Williams? I'm Ianto Jones."

"You're Torchwood…"

He blinked at being exposed so easily. Not that he had been planning to hide it but still, this guy was obviously no idiot.

"Yes, I am."

"What do you want?"

Now here came the hard part. Still, Ianto had half expected to have the door slammed in his face by now, so it might be positive. He steeled himself and held out his hand.

"I've come to show you something."

"Show me?"

"Well, show might not be the word. You won't so much see it as feel it."

"Feel it? Will it hurt?"

Ianto looked at Gwen's ex. He was scared, his knuckles on the door where white and he looked between his hand and his face like he wondered which one would bite him. Still, he was not closing the door and he kept asking, maybe this wasn't a lost case.

"Yes, Mr. Williams, it will hurt. All the pain she's been through, it's all here in this handshake."

Rhys looked at him, and there was something else than fear in his eyes now. There was something that Ianto couldn't help but to recognise.

Loss.

Rhys missed Gwen just as much as Ianto missed Jack. Still, Ianto was not going to let him see her unless he understood what he had done. He couldn't.

In his favour though, Rhys only hesitated for a heartbeat before taking the hand.

It tore him apart. It burned and his skin cracked and fell off. His hair turned to dust and the blood in his veins dried out. His eyes shrivelled and turned to raisins in his skull.

Through it all, there was a scream. A wordless, soulfilled scream. It broke whatever was left of his heart and ripped his mind to shreds.

It hurt beyond imagination and through it all, Rhys could feel Gwen cry his name through the inferno.

He pushed Ianto back, tore his hand from his. He stumbled backwards into the apartment, almost tearing down all the coats as he fell against the wall. The scream was still in his head and rubbing his face he found tears. Tears that weren't even his.

"Oh my god… What have I done…?"

Ianto pushed down the nausea. Making the information flow in the other direction was like trying to make your heart beat backwards.

"You left her… You where the only person she thought would be with her always and you left her. It was the thought of seeing you again that unlocked her powers and saved her life. If she hadn't been one of us, she would be dead."

Rhys stood up, still shaking. Still, Ianto wasn't done.

"I'm sorry, but you have to understand…"

He held out his hand, slowly. There was a limit to how much he could force another human being. Rhys didn't move away.

"You're the one on her mind. Her fire, it burns because of you."

He let it flow, out into Rhyses mind. The same things he had found when he held on to Gwen's arm in the inferno on the catwalk. The moments when she believed Rhys was dead and everything in her life was pointless.

This time, Ianto broke the contact. He watched the older man breathe, holding himself up against the doorway.

"Oh my god… Gwen… My Gwen…"

That was good, right?

Suddenly, Rhys stood up, wiped his face and grabbed his jacket, pushing past Ianto and ran down the stairs.

Ianto looked after him for a few confused seconds, then he sighed, took the keys hanging by the door, locked and went downstairs to the car.

He caught up with Rhys a block away, slowing down to let the slightly embarrassed man in. They drove in silence, both too shaky and focused to talk about anything.

Ianto pointed out the door, quietly thanking the heavens that Gwen had English Literature in the morning. Any other teacher might not have been so understanding.

It was a bit like the ending scene from a chick-flick, Rhys storming in, interrupting Donna in the middle of a sentence.

Gwen standing up so fast that the desk tipped over, papers pouring out over the floor like a tidal wave. He didn't even have time to open his mouth before she had tackled him to the ground, kissing every inch of his face.

Donna was almost about to start ranting at them but she caught Ianto in the doorway, shaking his head, so she shrugged and let them be, at least for a minute.

Gwen and Rhys talked the whole afternoon. The others didn't spy on them (since Martha had caught them trying and threatened with detention for life) so they hung out in the lounge, waiting. Of course, when the couple came back they all did a fantastic job of looking incredibly occupied. Gwen didn't buy it for a second.

Rhys was still freaked out, but honestly it just showed how much he loved her. When Gwen asked why he came by every day even when he was so scared he said it was because he wasn't comfortable with leaving her alone in a house filled with so many handsomw young men. Owen coughed something similar to poof and Gwen neatly set fire to his trousers.

Jack didn't see Gwen again until Monday morning, when she came up the stairs with dark circles under her eyes and a huge smile all over her face.

"You look like you had an interesting weekend!"

"Let my dump my bag and I'll tell you all about it…!"

He laughed and took the rucksack while she unlocked her door.

"Sure you're up for class?"

"Oh I'm fine! I'm planing on sleeping through the afternoon one."

"You guys haven't been slacking off just because I haven't been around, now have you?"

Gwen tossed the bag on her bed, along with her jacket and came back out into the hallway.

"Actually, we've all improved beyond expectation, so there!"

"Marvellous!"

"So now all that's left for you is to sort out your own business!"

"What business?"

Gwen grinned at him, leaning against the door.

"The real reason you came back. Come on Jack, we're not that daft!"

"I came back because I missed you!"

"Mh, yeah! All of us! I wonder why you felt like you had to point out it was all of us?"

He looked at her grin and part of him was so damn proud of her for seeing through him, while the other one wanted to throttle her from embarrassment. Though before he had a chance, Gwen stood up straight and waved down the hall.

"Morning Ianto!"

Jack tried not to flinch, tried not to glow bright red and by the time the steady footsteps came up to them, he felt like he had enough control to turn around.

"Morning gorgeous! Breakfast?"

Ianto rolled his eyes and looked questioningly at the arm Jack was holding out to him.

"Does that mean you've started eating in the morning?"

Jack's smile almost broke his face when Ianto gracefully put his hand on his arm. In the last second, he remembered to hold out his other arm to Gwen.

"It means I have learned never to pass down a meal again! You will not believe how many times I've gone hungry over the last year!"

"So playing with the Doctor is not just fun and games then?"

He led his friends down the stairs, enjoying having company with people he cared about again. No, his adventure had been far from a game.

"Don't you ever wonder why he's so skinny? It's all running and no time for snacks…"

"You poor thing."

"And I have so missed your coffee magic!"

"I'll give you a cup now then."

"Thank you, my dear!"

Ianto did manage not to blush, though he couldn't stop sneaking glances at Jack's profile. He had grown, he was half an inch taller then Ianto now, and his face had become sharper, more angled, less childish.

Jack had done some major growing up. It made Ianto wonder how else his physics had changed over the year. Great, now he was defiantly blushing.

Entering the dinning hall, they found their usual table inhabited by a surprising visitor. Ianto didn't know what it meant that Jack let his arm slip from Gwen's but held on to his own as they passed between the chairs to get over to where the Doctor was discussing something with Tosh. Still made him happy though.

"So I hold it like this…?"

"Yes and then you…!"

"Oh, and it shows here?"

"Yes, and then if you press here…!"

"I see! Now that is extraordinary!"

Jack actually put Ianto in his chair before sitting down between him and the Doctor, as if to make sure he didn't wander off. Ianto tried not to think to much about it (Jack was a possessive weirdo, he had known that for years) and started to mix up a cup of coffee for his friend.

"So what is that? Is it your secret project Tosh?"

"It wasn't secret, you just didn't get it when I explained it!"

"Brilliant really! Nobody could get those plans to work, but you did it in what, thirteen months? Pure brilliant!"

"Actually, I had it done the week after you were last here."

Jack tried not to giggle at the Doctors baffled face.

"I told you she was extraordinary!"

"Indeed!"

Tosh squirmed in her seat, her cheeks dark and eyes sparkling. Owen smiled and patted her back, making her embarrassed to the point of twirling a lock of her hair.

"It was nothing really! Very interesting, and fun, but not particularly hard! All it took was a bit of patience!"

"And a stroke of genius! What a remarkable gift you have!"

"Dad, stop it, you're actually turning Tosh into a teenage girl!"

Ianto almost choked. Jack never called the Doctor dad, he hadn't for years. None of the others noticed though. The Doctor smiled and made a show of apologising that set the table into a laughing frenzy. Soon after, he stood up and bid his farewell.

"You take care of yourself Jack!"

"I will!"

His foster father looked at him for a few seconds, hand still on his shoulder, and for a moment he looked very reluctant to let his boy go, then he grinned at the others around the table.

"Actually, you lot take care of him! That way I know he won't get into trouble!"

"Hey!"

"We will sir!"

"You can count on us!"

Then he was gone, like a leaf on the wind, blown off in a storm.

They where quiet for almost a minute, almost like his very presence had sucked the air right out of them. He did leave quite the impression, the Doctor. Then, Tosh cleared her throat and turned to Jack who was slowly sipping his coffee.

"So, what have you two been up too? Come on, tell us!"

Jack looked up and Ianto could have sworn he looked scared there for a second, but then he grinned and leaned back, putting his foot up on the empty chair beside him.

"Nothing that matters now, let's just leave it at that!"

"Oh come on Jack!"

Gwen took another bite of her toast before continuing.

"Just tell us! You were gone forever!"

Jack sighed, deep and nervously.

"Look, I don't want to talk about it…"

"Why not? You where so eager to run off and leave us and now you can't tell us why?"

"If I had known what was gonna happen I would never have left!"

"So what did happen?"

"I don't want to talk about it!"

"Jack!"

"NO!"

He slammed down his hand so hard everything on the table jumped. The others looked absolutely stunned as Jack moulded his features into something slightly apologetic. He took a deep breath and looked down.

"Look, the first three months where amazing and one day I'll tell you guys all about it! We went halfway across America and it was wonderful… But after that, these last nine months, all I wanted was to go home. All I wished was to come back here and see you guys again and now I have. So please, can we not talk about it yet? Please?"

It must have been horrible. That was the one thought they all shared around the table when Jack went quiet. It must have been truly horrible.

"So… What have I missed?"

Still he smiled at them, big grin with white teeth and because of his powers they would never find a scratch or a scar on him, never any indication to what had happened to him. Before he could think about it, Ianto had placed a comforting hand over Jack's, sqeeshing it hard.

Jack looked at him and smiled, sqeeshing back. It sent shivers down Iantos spine. He had come back to them. Jack had come home.

"Well, Gwen and Rhys have gotten engaged, but you know that… That boy Eugene blew up the chemistry lab! And doctor Jones is now doctor Jones-Smith! And…!"

Jack turned to Tosh as she kept ranting, slowly sipping his coffe,e still holding on to Ianto's hand.

He was still holding it as they walked out into the hallway, trying to move with the buzz of the rest of the student body on their way to class.

Suddenly though, Jack dropped Ianto's hand and stared into the mass of students.

"What the…?"

In the next heartbeat, his team observed in shock how a blond boy with pointy cheekbones and a drummers jacket flung himself at Jack, grabbed his face and kissed him breathless. Jack actually gripped the boys shoulders for support and when they finally separated he had to take a deep breath before he managed to speak.

"John Heart…!"

"Hi darling! Did you miss me?"

Ianto fisted his hands, cursing everything he could think of. Focusing real hard, to the point where his jaw almost cracked from the pressure, he managed not to walk over and break the strangers face with his fist.

Damn it.

[AN; You didn't think it was going to be THAT easy, did you? I'm sorry though, chapters will be slow now. Real life demands my attention (as I have no home, no job and no money...) and writing might come in second place to fixing that. Now, do I really have to threaten to kill myself to get reviews?]


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